The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved a joint research project by Prof. Dr. Christian Wey of the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE) and Prof. Dr. Markus Dertwinkel-Kalt of the University of Münster. Over the next three years, the two economists will examine how current energy and climate policy measures affect markets, businesses, and consumers.

The focus is on European CO₂ fleet limits for the automotive industry and subsidies for electric vehicles. Building on this, the researchers will also examine industrial electricity prices. They will analyze how these policy instruments influence prices, competition, and investment; whether they achieve their intended goals; and what unintended side effects may arise.

In addition to the economic impacts, the project also examines the societal perspective. The researchers are investigating how well energy and climate policy measures are understood by the general public and what factors influence their acceptance. The findings will be used to derive concrete recommendations for the effective design of energy and climate policy.