At the age of 67, Stephan Kohler’s passing in late October last year came as quite a surprise. His death was reported by the German Zukunft Erdgas industry initiative, on whose supervisory board Kohler had been since 2018. Many politicians and business leaders remember Kohler as a passionate fighter for climate action. Zukunft Erdgas chairman Timm Kehler said: “Stephan Kohler was held in high esteem throughout the entire energy sector. His precise analyses and attention to detail were greatly respected and appreciated. […] We’ve lost a tremendous human being, a smart, passionate innovator and driving force for the energy revolution.”

Kohler was a co-founder of dena, leading the agency for 15 years. In a short opening speech at the dena congress on Nov. 16, 2020, German economy minister Peter Altmaier specifically praised Kohler’s dedication to his work. He also hoped dena would continue to take a “tough and assertive stance” while remaining “an important and independent partner to the government.”