New white paper on ENP+: Strategic compass for the regional energy transition

02.02.2026

Source: Institut für Energietechnik IfE GmbH

Municipalities and districts play a key role in implementing the energy transition.

They face the challenge of achieving ambitious climate targets, coordinating the expansion of renewable energies, coping with rising energy demands and ensuring security of supply at the same time. With the new white paper on the Energy Utilization Plan Plus (ENP+), the Institute of Energy Technology (IfE) presents a strategic instrument for the targeted further development of municipal energy planning.

The ENP+ builds on traditional energy use planning and expands it to include an energy system simulation with a high temporal resolution. This allows energy flows to be mapped realistically and interactions within the energy system to be analyzed precisely. Different scenarios and combinations of measures can be evaluated and compared with each other.

A central component of ENP+ is consistent sector coupling. Electricity, heat, transport and industry are not considered in isolation, but analyzed as an integrated overall system. In addition, modular focus areas such as transport and mobility, hydrogen, biomethane and charging infrastructure are incorporated into the planning. This structure enables a tailor-made focus on regional characteristics and potential.

The white paper addresses key questions from municipal practice - such as the balance between overarching climate targets and local requirements, the concrete added value compared to traditional energy use plans and the importance of data depth, scenario building and cooperation with local stakeholders from administration, business and civil society.

The ENP+ sees energy use planning as a strategic management tool. It provides a reliable basis for decision-making, supports the prioritization of measures and helps to tap into regional value creation potential in a targeted manner. The white paper is aimed at local authorities, districts and other stakeholders in regional energy and climate protection work and is available now.

Further information can be found on the website of the Institute for Energy Technology IfE GmbH