Heat pumps are a key technology for reducing fossil fuel use in the heating sector. A transition to heat pumps implies an increase in electricity demand, especially in cold winter months. Using an open-source power sector model, we examine the power sector impacts of a massive expansion of decentralized heat pumps in Germany in 2030, combined with buffer heat storage of different sizes. Assuming that ...
To phase out fossil fuels, energy systems must shift to renewable electricity as the main source of primary energy. In this paper, we analyze how electrification can support the integration of fluctuating renewables, like wind and PV, and mitigate the need for storage and thermal backup plants. Using a cost-minimizing model for system planning, we find substantial benefits of electricity demand in ...
The energy crisis and the accelerated transition to climate neutrality result in a shift from the traditional energy trilemma to an “energy quartet” across Europe. Firstly, the criteria of affordability, previously focused on short-term price developments, broadens to reliable affordability including in crises. Secondly, clean energy traditionally focused on clean production now extends to clean energy ...
Conventional wastewater treatment plants consume significant amounts of electricity. The constant aeration of the wastewater in order to foster the growth of microorganisms or the pumping of wastewater are two examples for energy-intensive processes within a plant. Case studies have shown that switching off blowers and inlet pumps for a certain period of time is possible without a loss in water quality. ...
In mid-April 2023, the final three nuclear power plants in Germany will be taken offline permanently. At the same time, the energy crisis resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine has fueled calls for the construction of new nuclear reactors in Germany. A similar debate is taking place in many other countries in the context of the climate crisis. Since the 1950s, nuclear power has been one of ...