It was created by the initiative of the Federal State Saarland, several energy companies and energy service providers, as well as the University of Saarland and the University of Applied Sciences of Saarland (htw saar). The interdisciplinary team of research assistants consists inter alia in economists, industrial, mechanical, civil, environmental, agricultural and electrical engineers, foresters, political and social scientists, environmental lawyers, spatial and environmental planners, geographers, psychologists, computer scientists and chemists. The company’s objective is the promotion of science and research as well as environmental protection, in particular by applied research and development in the field of sustainable energy and material flow systems. The approach of the IZES gGmbH is interdisciplinary and connects practice-related topics with scientific issues and approaches to thinking.