Frankfurt Digital Finance 2025

12th - 13th of February 2025

Pragmatism instead of bureaucracy - how we finance the energy transition efficiently

Bankenverband Mitte e.V. highlighted the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition at the Frankfurt Digital Finance Conference 2025. In a high-calibre panel discussion, Dr Mekala Krishnan (McKinsey Global Institute), Jörg Eigendorf (Deutsche Bank) and Rama S. Variankaval (J.P. Morgan) discussed key success factors for a sustainable transformation.

The discussion centred on the economic and regulatory framework conditions for investments in the energy transition. The experts agreed that long-term investments must be predictable and reliable. At the same time, bureaucracy must not become an obstacle to innovation.

Key findings from the discussion:

• Mindset and speed: The energy transition is not only a technological challenge but also requires an entrepreneurial mindset and rapid investment.
• Economic viability as a prerequisite: Without economically viable concepts, even ambitious climate targets cannot be realised.
• Regulation as a brake on investment: Complex regulations and lengthy approval processes make it difficult to finance sustainable projects. The EU Omnibus Regulation is intended to remedy this situation.
• Holistic approach: Climate protection, economic stability and industrial competitiveness must be considered together.

The discussion showed that the focus should not be on whether we can finance the energy transition, but on how quickly and efficiently this can be achieved.