German Thesis Award for Anna Billerbeck
Freiburg, 29/07/2025
The Körber Foundation honors the energy economist for her doctoral dissertation at the University of Freiburg. In her study, Billerbeck examines the climate impact of district heating networks.
Dr. Anna Billerbeck has been awarded the 2nd Prize of the 2025 German Thesis Award by the Körber Foundation in the social sciences category for her dissertation at the University of Freiburg. The Thesis Award honors outstanding doctoral dissertations that are of particular societal relevance. The second prize comes with a €10,000 endowment.
“I’m very pleased about this award because it not only represents meaningful recognition of my work so far, but also helps to raise awareness of my research topic—and it motivates me to continue my scientific work with commitment,” says Billerbeck.
Cost-Effective Heat Transition through District Heating
The award-winning dissertation in the field of energy economics is titled: “Climate Neutrality through District Heating – Technical-Economic, Political and Societal Perspectives of the Heat Transition.” In it, Billerbeck investigates how district heating networks can contribute to a climate-neutral energy system and how their potential can be fully realized.
“I’m very pleased about this award because it not only represents meaningful recognition of my work so far, but also helps to raise awareness of my research topic.“
Dr. Anna Billerbeck
Winner of the German Thesis Award 2025
Her findings show that a cost-efficient heat transition can be achieved by expanding climate-neutral district heating networks to cover 25 percent of the heated area in Europe. Achieving this supply structure requires an integrated approach to the regulation of district heating systems—one that increases market transparency and enables consumer participation.
Billerbeck currently works as a research associate and project manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) in Karlsruhe.
The German Thesis Award
The German Thesis Award annually honors outstanding early-career researchers from all academic disciplines. The Körber Foundation awards a total of €135,000 in prizes for excellent doctoral dissertations with significant societal impact, making it one of the most highly endowed awards for young researchers in Germany. The patron of the award is Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, who will present the 2025 German Thesis Award in December at the German Parliamentary Society in Berlin.