Dana Kirchem

Dana Kirchem serves as a Researcher in the Department of Energy, Transport and Environment at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), where she has contributed to the "Transformation of the Energy Sector" research group since September 2021.

Her academic qualifications include:

• A doctorate from University College Dublin and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) Dublin focusing on demand flexibility modeling in integrated energy-water systems
• Economics studies at the University of Münster and the University of Guadalajara

Her research centers on renewable energy expansion, heat transition, and sector coupling dynamics, with particular emphasis on green hydrogen applications. She investigates resource constraints in hydrogen production, infrastructure requirements for sector integration, and flexibility potentials across energy systems, employing interdisciplinary approaches that bridge economic modeling and engineering analysis to address European energy transition challenges.

Analysis of her 11 publications (2020-2025) reveals consistent focus on hydrogen economy development, water-energy interdependencies, and demand-side flexibility. Key trends include quantifying electrolysis water footprints, evaluating storage solutions for cost reduction, and modeling grid interactions of distributed renewable resources, demonstrating strong policy relevance for national and European decarbonization strategies.

Dr. Kirchem actively participates in research projects including Ariadne2 (evidence-based assessment for Germany's energy transition) and enERSyn (synergies of electric road systems with alternative truck technologies), contributing economic modeling expertise to scenario development and infrastructure planning. Her policy engagement extends to media outreach through interviews on hydrogen-water relationships and animated infographics explaining green hydrogen concepts.

Within DIW Berlin, she collaborates in the "Transformation of the Energy Sector" research group, working closely with colleagues like Wolf-Peter Schill and Claudia Kemfert on integrated energy system analyses that inform national strategy development and infrastructure planning.