According to German government plans, the proportion of renewable energy sources in electric power generation is to rise to at least 30 percent by the year 2020, and by at least 14 percent in the provision of heating. Against this background, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) is promoting current research and development projects that open up new possibilities for a sustainable energy supply on the basis of the government's 5th Energy Research Programme "Innovation and New Energy Technologies". The focus is on technologies for the utilization of renewable energies and to improve energy efficiency. The projects funded come from the fields of photovoltaics, wind energy, geothermal energy, low-temperature solar thermal power, and solar thermal power plants. Special attention is being placed on joint projects between partners from the scientific and business communities.

Companies and research institutes in Bremen can also profit from the federal government grants and subsidies and submit their proposals to the project management organisation Jülich. The central service-providing body for business and economic development in Bremen, Bremer Investitions-Gesellschaft mbH (BIG), offers assistance and advice to interested enterprises as regards drawing up applications and on all issues relating to the federal support opportunities.

The text inviting tenders can be called up in the Internet at www.erneuerbare-energien.de/inhalt/37841. The closing date for submitting project outlines and applications is 31 December 2010.