Integrated energy in Germany–A critical look at the development and state of integrated energies in Germany

Abstract

In the face of global warming and a scarcity of resources, future energy systems are urged to undergo a major and radical transformation. The recognition of the need to embrace renewable energy technologies and to move toward decarbonization has led to significant changes in the German energy generation, consumption and infrastructure. Ambitious German national plans to decrease carbon dioxide emissions on one side, and the unpredictable and volatile nature of renewable energy sources on the other side have elevated the importance of integrated energies in recent years. The deployment of integrated technologies as a solution to interlink various infrastructures creates opportunities for increasing the reliability of energy systems, minimizing environmental impacts and maximizing the share of renewable resources. This paper discusses the role of integrated energy systems in supporting of sustainable solutions for future energy transitions. Moreover, the reinforcement of this movement with the help of different technologies will be discussed and the development of integrated energy systems in Germany will be reviewed.

Key words： integrated energy; renewable energies; energy transition; power-to-gas; power-to-heat; power-to-mobility; energy storage

References

1 Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). (2017). Energy data: total output. 2017–05

2 Bundesnetzagentur. EEG in figures 2016–Table of contents. 2016–12–31

3 Working Group on Energy Balances (AGEB). Evaluation tables of the German energy balance: 1990–2016. 2017–09

4 Agora Energiewende. The Energiewende in a nutshell: 10 Q&A on the German energy transition. 2017–03–21

5 Kuprat M, Bendig M, Pfeiffer K. Possible role of power-to-heat and power-to-gas as flexible loads in German medium voltage networks. Frontiers in Energy, 2017, 11(2): 135–145

6 Lewandowska-Bernat A, Desideri U. Opportunities of power-to-gas technology. Energy Procedia, 2017, 105: 4569–4574

7 Thema M, Sterner M, Lenck T, Götz P. Necessity and impact of power-to-gas on energy transition in Germany. Energy Procedia, 2016, 99: 392–400

8 Kuprat M. SoVieL: sector coupling: four infrastructures, one optimal solution? 2017

9 Gahleitner G. Hydrogen from renewable electricity: an international review of power-to-gas pilot plants for stationary applications. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2013, 38(5): 2039–2061

10 Schiebahn S, Grube T, Robinius M, Tietze V, Kumar B, Stolten D. Power to gas: technological overview, systems analysis and economic assessment for a case study in Germany. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2015, 40(12): 4285–4294

11 Huang J H, Zhou H S, Wu Q H, Tang S W, Hua B, Zhou X X. Assessment of an integrated energy system embedded with power-to-gas plant. In: 2016 IEEE Innovative Smart Grid Technologies-Asia (ISGT-Asia), Melbourne, VIC, Australia, 2016, 196–201

12 Ursua A, Gandia L M, Sanchis P. Hydrogen production from water electrolysis: current status and future trends. Proceedings of the IEEE, 2012, 100(2): 410–426

13 Varone A, Ferrari M. Power to liquid and power to gas: an option for the German Energiewende. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2015, 45: 207–218

14 Götz M, Lefebvre J, Mörs F, McDaniel Koch A, Graf F, Bajohr S, Reimert R, Kolb T. Renewable power-to-gas: a technological and economic review. Renewable Energy, 2016, 85: 1371–1390

15 Working Group on Energy Balances (AGEB). Application balances of the final energy sectors in Germany between 2013 and 2015. 2016–10

16 Bloess A, Schill W P, Zerrahn A. Power-to-heat for renewable energy integration: a review of technologies, modeling approaches, and flexibility potentials. Applied Energy, 2018, 212: 1611–1626

17 Barbrowski S, Jochem P, Fichtner W. Electricity storage systems in the future German energy sector: an optimization of the German electricity generation system until 2040 considering grid restrictions. Computers & Operations Research, 2015, 66(C): 228–240

18 Agora Energiewende. Power-to-heat for the integration of regulated electricity from renewable energies. 2014–06

19 International Energy Agency (IEA). Global EV Outlook 2017: Two Million and Counting. 2017–06–06

20 Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). Vehicle registrations (FZ): new registrations of motor vehicles according to environmental characteristics, 2016 (FZ 14). 2017–05

21 Eberle U, von Helmond R. Sustainable transportation based on electric vehicle concepts: a brief overview. Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3(6): 689–699

22 Blasius E. Possible role of power-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-grid as storages and flexible loads in the German 110 kV distribution grid. Frontiers in Energy, 2017, 11(2): 146–154

23 Le Dréau J, Heiselberg P. Energy flexibility of residential buildings using short term heat storage in the thermal mass. Energy, 2016, 111: 991–1002

24 Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Natural gas supply in Germany. 2017–12–19

25 NATURALHY Integrated Project. Preparing for the Hydrogen Economy by Using the Existing Natural Gas System as a Catalyst. 2009–10. Project Contract No: 502661

26 Michalski J, Bünger U, Crotogino F, Donadei S, Schneider GS, Pregger T, Cao KK, Heide D. Hydrogen generation by electrolysis and storage in salt caverns: potentials, economics and systems aspects with regard to the German energy transition. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2017, 42 (19): 13427–13443

27 Solar District Heating (SDH). Ranking list of European large scale solar heating plants. 2017–12–19

28 Holstenkamp L, Meisel M, Neidig P, Opel O, Steffahn J, Strodel N, Lauer J, Vogel M, Degenhart H, Michalzik D, Schomerus T, Schönebeck J, Növig T. Interdisciplinary review of medium-deep aquifer thermal energy storage in North Germany. Energy Procedia, 2017, 135: 327–336

29 Sterner M, Jentsch M, Holzhammer U. Energy economic and ecological assessment of a wind gas supply. 2011–02

30 Bundesnetzagentur. Numbers, data and information about the EEG. 2015–12–31

31 Bundesnetzagentur. Network and Systems Safety Report–4th Quarter and Full Year 2016. 2017–05–29

32 Graichen P, Sakhel A, Podewils C. Agora Energiewende: the energy transition in the electricity sector: state of the art 2017. 2018–01

33 Lütkehus H, Salecker H, Umweltbundesamt D E. Onshore wind energy potential in Germany. DEWI Magazine, 2013, 43: 23–28