Susanne Nies appointed to EU advisory group on Green Deal
Dr. Susanne Nies heads the project Green Deal Ukraina. The energy expert is now called to consult the European Commission on behalf of the regulatory burdens in relation with the Net Zero Industrial Act. © privat
Dr. Susanne Nies heads the Green Deal Ukraina project at HZB, which aims to support the development of a sustainable energy system in Ukraine. The energy expert has now also been appointed to the European Commission's scientific advisory group to comment on regulatory burdens in connection with the net-zero target (DG GROW).
With its Industrial Plan for the Green Deal, the European Union aims to promote the development of a competitive cleantech industry that secures prosperity and jobs. The Net Zero Industry Act provides a framework for this. The Act is intended to stimulate investment and create better conditions for the cleantech market in Europe. A group of experts will accompany this process and report on how the legal requirements affect economic activities in order to enable timely adjustments.
Energy expert Dr. Susanne Nies has now been appointed to this important advisory body. The seven experts come from different disciplines and have been appointed for an initial term of four years.
Susanne Nies heads the Green Deal Ukraina project at HZB, which supports the development of a sustainable energy system in Ukraine. A political scientist by training, she brings with her many years of experience from her work as a manager and consultant for the energy market, particularly in Eastern Europe. ‘I am delighted to be able to contribute to optimising the legal framework in a knowledge-based manner during this exciting time,’ says Susanne Nies. The appointment is recognition of Susanne Nies' long-standing commitment to evidence-based policy and cooperation between industry and science.
- Element cobalt exhibits surprising propertiesThe element cobalt is considered a typical ferromagnet with no further secrets. However, an international team led by HZB researcher Dr. Jaime Sánchez-Barriga has now uncovered complex topological features in its electronic structure. Spin-resolved measurements of the band structure (spin-ARPES) at BESSY II revealed entangled energy bands that cross each other along extended paths in specific crystallographic directions, even at room temperature. As a result, cobalt can be considered as a highly tunable and unexpectedly rich topological platform, opening new perspectives for exploiting magnetic topological states in future information technologies.
- MXene for energy storage: More versatile than expectedMXene materials are promising candidates for a new energy storage technology. However, the processes by which the charge storage takes place were not yet fully understood. A team at HZB has examined, for the first time, individual MXene flakes to explore these processes in detail. Using the in situ Scanning transmission X-ray microscope 'MYSTIIC' at BESSY II, the scientists mapped the chemical states of Titanium atoms on the MXene flake surfaces. The results revealed two distinct redox reactions, depending on the electrolyte. This lays the groundwork for understanding charge transfer processes at the nanoscale and provides a basis for future research aimed at optimising pseudocapacitive energy storage devices.
- Bernd Rech elected to the BR50 Board of DirectorsThe Scientific Director at Helmholt-Zentrum Berlin is the new face behind the "Natural Sciences" unit at Berlin Research 50 (BR50). Following the election in December 2025, the constituent meeting of the new BR50 Board of Directors took place on 22 January 2026.
Its members are Michael Hintermüller (Weierstrass Institute, WIAS), Noa K. Ha (German Centre for Integration and Migration Research, DeZIM), Volker Haucke (Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology, FMP), Uta Bielfeldt (German Rheumatism Research Centre Berlin, DRFZ) and Bernd Rech (HZB).