Deyana Kocher

MSc MA (Tricontinental Master in Global Studies)

BA Hons (Journalism)

Researcher

Team: Research & Policy Analysis
Topics: Climate

Energy

Deyana Kocher (née Spasova) is a Researcher at the Ecologic Institute with a thematic focus on climate change mitigation, citizens' participation in climate and energy policymaking, and renewable energy communities. Deyana Kocher is a native Bulgarian speaker, is fluent in English and has advanced knowledge of German.

In her work at Ecologic Institute, Deyana Kocher focuses on EU Member States' long-term planning towards climate neutrality.

Deyana works on The Future of the EU, focusing on the Conference on the Future of Europe and its link to climate policies. In her work on the Transitioning to Net Zero' Success Stories project, she is researching best practice examples of policies that are successful in initiating progress towards climate neutrality. As part of the EU Regions in the Transformation Towards a Climate-neutral Future, Deyana also conducted a case study covering strategies to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industry in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Prior to this role, she worked as a Student Research Assistant for the Energy & Climate department of Öko-Institut in Freiburg (Germany), where she contributed to the "Renewable Space Heating under the Revised Renewable Energy Directive" (European Commission, DG ENER) project. During that time, she also conducted research for her master's thesis on the topic of "Support for Renewable Energy Communities under the revised EU Renewable Energy Directive: a case study analysis of approaches in Germany and Bulgaria". She has also gained experience as an intern for the Representation of the European Commission in Sofia (Bulgaria).

Deyana Kocher completed her Tricontinental Master in Global Studies in Germany, Taiwan and Mexico. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, which she studied in Scotland and the USA.

Contact Deyana Kocher by Email

Projects Publications

Selected projects by Deyana Kocher

ProjectEU Regions in the Transformation Towards a Climate-neutral Future

Regional governments are key players in driving the transformation towards climate neutrality, as they are the ones who enable and implement solutions on the ground. For the European Parliament's Committee on Regional Development, Ecologic Institute together with... Read more

EU Regions in the Transformation Towards a Climate-neutral Future

Duration: Nov 2021 - Mar 2022
Funding: European Parliament (EP), International

ProjectTransitioning to Net Zero' Success Stories

Photo by Luciann Photography from Pexels

The EU has specified climate neutrality as a legally binding 2050 target. This transformation requires bold policy tools that can deliver concrete results – sector-by-sector. To inspire policymakers across the EU to get active, Agora Energiewende is compiling best... Read more

Transitioning to Net Zero' Success Stories

Duration: Dec 2021 - Oct 2022
Funding: Smart Energy for Europe Platform (SEFEP), International

Agora Energiewende, Germany

ProjectEvidence-based Assessment for the Design of the German Energy Transition (Ariadne)

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels

Germany is to become climate-neutral by 2050. Achieving the climate targets will require extensive changes that will have an impact on large parts of the economy and social life. Concrete climate measures in energy generation, transport, industry and other sectors are... Read more

Evidence-based Assessment for the Design of the German Energy Transition (Ariadne)

Duration: Apr 2020 - Aug 2026
Funding: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany

ProjectImplementing the European Green Deal

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

With the adoption of the European Green Deal as a new overarching EU strategy, climate policy goals have officially become integrated across EU policy as a whole. The goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050 is at the heart of the European Green Deal – but how will it... Read more

Implementing the European Green Deal

Duration: Jan 2020 - Apr 2021
Funding: European Climate Foundation (ECF), International

ProjectDialogue on Pathways and Policies for a Climate-neutral EU (Climate Recon 2050)

The EU has agreed to become climate neutral by 2050. Achieving climate neutrality in the next 30 years is a great societal, economic and political undertaking, presenting many challenges and opportunities. The Climate Recon 2050 project addresses the central process of... Read more

Dialogue on Pathways and Policies for a Climate-neutral EU (Climate Recon 2050)

Duration: Oct 2020 - Dec 2022
Funding: Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany

European Climate Foundation (ECF), International

Selected publications by Deyana Kocher

PublicationArticleBuilding a Common Support Framework in Differing Realities

Electricity mix of Germany. Based on Eurostat shares data.

The revised EU Renewable Energy Directive first introduced renewable energy communities into the EU policy framework and requires Member States to implement a support framework for them. Given the broad scientific evidence showing the benefits of community energy for a... Read more

Spasova, Deyana, and Sibylle Braungardt. 2021. "Building a Common Support Framework in Differing Realities—Conditions for Renewable Energy Communities in Germany and Bulgaria" Energies 14, no. 15: 4693. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14154693

PublicationDocumentConference on the Future of Europe

Cover of the publication "Conference on the Future of Europe Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies" with logos an key messages

Fossil fuels are heavily subsidized in the EU. In 2018, for example, fossil fuel subsidies in the EU amounted to €50 billion– twice as much as investments in new wind and solar power generation capacities. Subsidies for fossil fuels undermine climate policies, as it is... Read more

Spasova, Deyana; Meyer-Ohlendorf, Nils 2021: Conference on the Future of Europe. Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies. Berlin: Ecologic Institut.