Dieter Seifried studied energy technology and power plant technology along with macroeconomics. From 1983 to 1999, he worked in the energy and transport division of the Institute for Applied Ecology in Freiburg and since 1999, he has been director of -quadrat, an independent consulting firm (www.oe2.de). He is the author of numerous studies and publications on energy policy and the energy sector and is currently a lecturer at the University of Freiburg for the Renewable Energy Management Masters program.