Energy efficiency is a key precondition for the success of the energy transition and for achieving the energy and climate policy targets of the Federal Republic of Germany. With this in mind, the Federal Government – along with associations and organisations from German industry – launched the Initiative for Energy Efficiency Networks in 2014. Energy efficiency networks have proven to be a suitable instrument that enables companies to exchange experiences with one another and implement measures to increase energy efficiency.

The Networks Initiative is, therefore, a successful tool of the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (Nationaler Aktionsplan Energieeffizienz, NAPE). From 2021 onwards, it continued operations under the name Initiative for Energy Efficiency and Climate Action Networks. The range of topics covered by the networks has been expanded to include climate action, the energy transition and sustainability. However, increasing energy efficiency will continue to play an important role.

By 2025, the Initiative aims to establish 300 to 350 new networks. These are intended to save annually between 9-11 TWh of final energy, and between 5-6 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents. The Networks Initiative is implemented on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation und Nuclear Safety, and over 20 associations and organisations from industry. Numerous other partners, such as regional coordinators, support the Initiative as well.

The administrative office is managed by the German Energy Agency (dena). It carries out administrative tasks such as the review and registration of networks and is responsible for the technical support of the initiative. In cooperation with the supporting associations, it assumes the following tasks:

Organizational processes with the supporting organizations and networks
Strengthening activities with cooperation partners, regional coordinators of the federal states, and other specialist stakeholders
Approaching and recruiting new supporting organizations, partners, and supporters, as well as utilizing new channels and formats
With numerous communication activities, the office spreads the network approach and supports existing networks

Information materials

Flyer: “Together for more energy efficiency and climate action” (download, pdf)

Work materials for networks

Work guide for moderators on competition law within energy efficiency and climate action networks (download, pdf)
Calculation and reporting of saving targets (download, pdf)
List of Short-Term Measures to Save and Substitute Energy (download, pdf)