While the focus of the energy transition has long been on optimizing individual technologies, there is currently a shift towards systems thinking: sector coupling links the three major areas of electricity, heat and transport. New approaches also take into account the regional characteristics of energy production and consumption.
Die Sektorkopplung verbindet die drei großen Bereiche Strom, Wärme und Verkehr.
The primary goal of sector coupling is to decarbonize energy generation to achieve massive reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Another goal of looking across the three sectors of electricity, heat, and transportation is to address the fluctuating demand and hard-to-predict supply from renewable energy sources such as wind power and photovoltaics to balance the security of supply for the population and industry. The technical side of sector coupling is already well advanced. Obstacles to implementation today often lie in the social acceptance of large-scale projects and small-scale systems, as well as in the financing of the necessary measures, e.g., infrastructure and the economic efficiency and legal framework calculated according to today's standards.
The energy transition inevitably leads to a decentralization of energy supply with an expansion of renewable energies and sector coupling. Geographical conditions play a role that should not be neglected. In northern Germany, for example, a lot of electrical energy can be generated via wind power, and green-generated gas can be stored in large quantities in the numerous salt caverns found there. In Germany's north, power-to-gas technologies therefore have a very large potential.
Using regional potential for energy supply
In southern Germany, on the other hand, a lot of electrical energy can be generated via photovoltaics. Deep geothermal energy and near-surface geothermal energy can also provide large amounts of heat. Due to the different properties of the energy sources and regional characteristics, the infrastructure in Germany varies greatly. This will become even more significant if, with the spread of electromobility , another sector gains in importance: transport. To achieve the goals set, there is no way around restructuring the existing energy system. Digitization and smart grids will play an important role in synchronizing energy supply and demand.
Your contact
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Oliver Mayer
Bayern Innovativ is pursuing the topic of sector coupling intensively - among other things through joint projects of the Cluster Automotive and Cluster Energy Technology . On behalf of the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, both clusters together with the Center Digitalization.Bavaria (ZD.B) have prepared a study on the topic of sector coupling.
Accessibility
Language
