Innovative technologies and sustainable structures make the energy system fit for the future
Myth
Certainly, renewable energies keep growing, but the existing energy supply system will not undergo any substantial change.
Facts
The transformation of energy supply is a system change. It is not the simple replacement of one technology with another one, but is about changing the energy system in its entirety – also due to digitalisation, decentralisation und democratisation.
Wind and solar energy are today already cheaper than energy from new fossil fuels or nuclear power plants. The renewables’ breakthrough in power generation creates new stimuli for a fundamental change in our energy system, and leads to the merging of electricity, heat and mobility sectors (so-called sector coupling). Flexibility and smart grids or systems will become key characteristics for new systems based on renewable energy sources. They enable efficient control and deployment according to the requirements of different energy types and qualities – e.g. differentiated according to urban and rural structures. It is vital to differentiate between different energy supply needs: Industry’s high temperature applications (up to 1,000 degrees Celsius) are not the same as those from low temperatures of e.g. 60°C needed for space heating. Optimum use should be made of the different energy sources and technologies to reflect their specific characteristics. Klimaaktiv’s heating matrix provides a good overview of various technologies for heating detached and semi-detached houses.
