The major congress on the energy transition and climate protection took place in Berlin for the 26th time. Discussions took place online from 5 to 7 May, and from 25 to 28 May Germany's largest energy transition community came together in Berlin, according to the organizers.
The congress was opened by Jürgen Pöschk, Managing Director of EUMB Pöschk GmbH & Co. In his opening speech, he made it clear that the Energy Days program reflects the entire current range of conceptual, political and practical solutions for the energy transition in Germany. In the subsequent keynote speech, Fritz Reusswig, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) e.V., pleaded for energy and climate policy that is broadly anchored in society and has a secure direction. "Conflicts will remain, but it depends on how they are dealt with," said Reusswig. What is needed in energy and climate policy are politicians who can combine expertise with emotional commitment.
Energy storage - the Swiss army knife for the energy transition?
Together with the German Energy Storage Systems Association (BVES), the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU) focused on the latest technologies and trends in the field of energy storage and the associated market developments. The focus was on current DBU funding opportunities in the field of "storage and grids" and the diverse application scenarios of innovative storage technologies in electricity, heat and mobility in order to promote decentralized energy solutions for the building sector, commerce, industry and the charging infrastructure.
Decentralized storage systems are used to shift volatile energy production from summer to winter. It is stored as electricity, heat or in the form of molecules. Equally important are grid-supporting innovations, short-term shifting and load flexibilization to stabilize the distribution grids. With artificial intelligence, energy loads can be predicted more accurately and quickly and surplus electricity from renewable energies can be better utilized. For example, cold stores can serve as energy storage facilities. Susanne König, Kraftblock GmbH, presented a power-to-heat storage system for the climate-neutral provision of process heat. Cost savings of 30 % are possible with this. Thorsten Scheller, Siemens Energy, discussed the advantages of compressed air storage systems, but also the challenges. Compressed air storage is a competitive solution compared to pumped storage power plants. However, approvals for grid connections and delivery times for transformers take too long. Furthermore, there is currently no provision for remuneration for long withdrawal times. There should also be incentives for this grid service.
In the subsequent discussion, it was pointed out that dynamic electricity tariffs can also serve as an effective control signal to shift energy peaks and relieve the power grid. Urban Windelen, Bundesverband Energiespeicher Systeme e.V. (BVES), called for the promotion of flexibilization with the help of storage and electrification in order to secure Germany as an industrial location.
Serial refurbishment - new solutions for single-family homes
Serial refurbishment offers enormous potential for the climate-friendly modernization of single and multi-family homes and is therefore being promoted. Following a 3D scan of the property to be refurbished, planning is optimized. The roof, façades and building services with energy module solutions are prefabricated externally and the components are then installed on the old building. Ideally, this results in a NetZero building in which the existing building fabric can continue to be used.
Lower electricity prices: VKU and ZVEI warn against deceptive packaging
As the energy, heating and transport transition progresses, massive investments in the expansion and conversion of the grids are imminent. These costs are reflected in rising grid fees. The German Association of Local Utilities (VKU) supports the goal formulated in the coalition agreement to reduce electricity costs by 5 cents per kWh. The planned reduction of the electricity tax to the minimum level required by EU law will provide relief of 2 ct per kWh for private and commercial end consumers. Industrial consumers can also be relieved to varying degrees with subsidies for the grid fees of the distribution grid operators or the transmission grid operators (TSOs), which is why the VKU and the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (ZVEI) propose splitting the subsidies. Subsidies for the grid-related surcharges would provide uniform nationwide relief for smaller end consumers (private customers and businesses), but only minor relief for large consumers. The VKU therefore proposes implementing both options in parallel and splitting any federal subsidy roughly equally between the TSO grid fees and the grid-related levies.
Sharing energy - concepts for commercial and residential buildings
The climate protection targets in the building sector have not yet been met. The dena building report states that around 80 % of new buildings are equipped with climate-friendly heating systems. Despite this, around 79% of buildings are still heated with oil and gas. Marcus Thomas, enercity AG Hannover, and Jonas Pemsel, Applied Systems Technology AST branch of the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB, presented energy system planning with innovative solutions for energy service providers. The enercity energy management system (eEMS) networks systems such as PV roof systems, charging infrastructure, batteries, heating and cooling supply in a district with an intelligent software platform for monitoring, optimization and control. The open-technology design of the assets was planned by Fraunhofer IOSB. The usability was tested in a pilot quarter with apartments, commerce, retail, offices, culture and gastronomy. Intelligent control of energy sources and sinks, intelligent load management and peak load reduction contribute to the ongoing integration of renewable energy sources and the decarbonization of the electricity, cooling and heating supply in the district. This makes it possible to reduce energy costs by around 10 %, which also increases tenant satisfaction.
Pio Alessandro Lombardi, Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF, reported on findings from the FlexBIT project to move from the Net-Zero Energy Factory to the Industrial Energy Community. Net-Zero Energy Factories are the basis for sustainable production in which renewable energy sources play a role in electricity production through cooperation between several partners. The combination of flexibility, digitalization, digital trust and local sharing is a viable model for the future, but requires regulatory clarity.
The Energy Days have become the leading event for the energy transition and climate protection. Research results, practical solutions and funding programs were presented. In discussions, it was emphasized several times that reliable political framework conditions are necessary for the implementation of climate targets and the preservation of Germany as a location for production and innovation as well as competitiveness. In addition, Jürgen Pöschk, the main organizer of the Energy Days, warned: "We need to focus more on economic efficiency and social compatibility" in order to ensure that the energy transition can reach a consensus and to involve the middle classes more closely in the discussion.
