The aim of the study is to identify the essential parameters of a sustainable expansion of renewable energies from the diversity of potential influencing factors and to illustrate them based on a regional case study. The analyses reveal the great regional assertiveness of photovoltaics, whereby wind energy can assert itself due to social parameters also at some locations, particularly in the central part of the study area, against the economically often better positioned photovoltaics.

In this study we compare meteorological observations from a set of different measuring devices with each other in order to derive information about their quality and mutual consistency. We consider data from terrestrial measuring devices, satellite observations, space observations, weather balloons and weather models provided by weather agencies. The results in general show very good accordance and interchangeability between the various solutions.

The study presented in this paper aims at reproducing findings from chemical and isotopic groundwater sample analysis along with quantifying the influence of regional (cross-boundary) flow for the area of Berlin, Germany. For this purpose we built 3-D models of the subsurface, populating them with material parameters (e.g. porosity, permeability) and solving them for coupled fluid and heat transport. Special focus was given to the setup of boundary conditions, i.e. fixed pressure at the sides.

An 8-year dataset of erosion monitoring (e.g. agricultural management, rainfall, runoff, sediment delivery) is made available. It covers 14 adjoining and partly nested watersheds (sizes 1–14 ha) that were cultivated following integrated (4 crops) and organic farming (7 crops and grassland) practices. Drivers of erosion and runoff were determined and with high spatial and temporal detail. The data set closes the gap between plot research and watershed research.

Fluid injection in a geologic layer shifts pressure and stress conditions and may trigger the reactivation of pre-existing faults. We present an approach to describe changes in the stress-field upon such an induced seismic event by applying characteristic stress-drop terms based on reported literature values for a great variety of earthquakes, even at very different magnitudes. The article illustrates exemplary results and discusses also the effect of permeability on expectable seismicity.