Jan 16, 2026
RTG Doctoral student presents at IAEE MECA conference in Antalya
From December 4 to 6, 2026, the IAEE MECA Conference of the International Association for Energy Economics took place in Antalya (Turkey) under the title "Energy Transition in MECA: Economics, Geopolitics and Sustainability". The conference brought together international experts from science and practice. Among the participants was Mr. Jakob Baumgarten (photo above, far left), fellow of the 4th Boysen TUD Research Training Group in project E1 "Market model-based energy economic analysis of H2 import demand and the import potential of synthetic gases from MENA countries".
In his presentation "Modelling a cost-optimised hydrogen supply chain between the EU and MENA: A cross-regional analysis of trade, transport flows, and investment", Mr Baumgarten presented key results of a hydrogen market model that has been developed. The model analyzes the investment needs for the development of a sustainable hydrogen economy in the EU-MENA region in the period from 2030 to 2050, while at the same time mapping the transport and trade flows of hydrogen and its derivatives that are necessary to meet the future needs of both the European and MENA countries.
Doctoral student Jakob Baumgarten during his lecture.
The presentation was met with great interest and led to a lively discussion on ways to close existing financing gaps in the field of renewable energies. In particular, targeted investment programs, reliable regulatory framework conditions and a combination of state funding instruments, private capital and long-term planning security were highlighted as key success factors.
The conference offered many opportunities for scientific exchange and international networking with peers from all over the world. A central consensus was that the interlinking of research and practice is crucial in order to sustainably advance the progress of the global energy transition.