Ifeu

About

Founded in 1978, Ifeu is a ngo headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany with approximately 50-200 employees specializing in Biomass, Biogas, Hydrogen.

Ifeu is a non-profit research institute with over 45 years of experience in environmental and sustainability research. Founded in the early 1970s as one of Germany's first self-managed research institutes, it employs approximately 120 scientists across natural, engineering, and social sciences at three locations: Heidelberg, Berlin, and Hamburg. The institute conducts independent, practice-oriented research and consulting on critical environmental and sustainability challenges, including renewable energy deployment, biomass and bioenergy systems, bioeconomy development, resource efficiency, circular economy, sustainable agriculture and food systems, and low-carbon mobility. It advises ministries, municipalities, corporations, and international organizations including the World Bank, FAO, UNEP, UNFCC, and UNIDO. Research integrates life cycle assessment, economic analysis, and policy evaluation, with particular focus on environmental impacts of biomass production, biofuels, bioenergy, and biorefinery concepts. The institute operates as a cooperative structure with ownership held exclusively by long-term employees.