Energy Topics

Energy Topics

Sector Coupling

In the first half of 2025, renewables already supplied more than 54 percent of Germany’s electricity. By 2035, the plan is to replace the remaining fossil share with a massive boost in wind and solar power. But the energy transition is about much more than just electricity. To reach climate neutrality, other sectors with even higher energy demand must also transform. At the moment, renewables cover only about 18 percent of heating needs—and in transport, the share is still as low as 7 percent.

Scalable solutions for heat and transport like heat pumps or battery-electric propulsions shall be operated in the long run with green electricity. In hard-to-abate applications, h2 and e-fuels are key energy carrier which shall be produced from renewable electricity.

Challenges for the system level and single households

In an ideal climate-neutral and integrated energy system sectors must be considered in an integrated and coupled way. On the system level an efficient and cost-optimal infrastructure of electricity, heat and gas grids has to be conceived to cover the needs of additional electricity producers and consumers. Hamburg’s project „Integrated netplanning“ is a model for synergies. In addition, large-scale storage and flexibility options are necessary. Some 100 solutions developed and demonstrated 2016-2020 in the funding project „Northern German Energy Transition 4.0 (NEW 4.0)“, now need be scaled-up and implemented.

On the individual level the switch to heat pumps and electriv vehicles need to speed up. At the same time, single household electricity consumers shall be enabled to benefit from the energy system by way of becoming flexible consumers with the help of automated processes. Holistic approaches are currently under development mainly in new residential areas but the replication to existing areas is becoming ever more relevant.

Flagship projects