The Trend Papers provide you with an overview as well as background information and current developments on selected topics.
By global standards, Germany is among the countries with the most reliable power supply. Decentralization is becoming a major strength in this regard. Heterogeneous energy sources and storage technologies are capable of offsetting frequency fluctuations on a small scale.
Development of energy sharing in Europe, opportunities and challenges of energy sharing, citizen participation in the renewable, decentralized and digital energy world.
Digital technologies revolutionize the manner in which we generate, distribute and use energy.
The main Electrolyzer Technologies and their role in future Green Hydrogen projects.
Efficient dual land use for agriculture and solar power generation via agri-photovoltaics (agri-PV) is developing dynamically and attracting increasing interest. Agri-PV has long ceased to be a niche product.
The rate of expansion within the photovoltaics (PV) sector in Germany is set to triple over the next few years to reach 22 gigawatts (GW) per year, which will contribute to the decarbonization of both the economy and society. This is leading to a shift away from the more “traditional” open spaces and roof surfaces of private homes, with other available areas now also being targeted. Parking lot PV, which includes PV installations on carports as well as roofing over vehicle parking lots, represents an application for photovoltaics that has recently gained political support.
In recent years, there have already been enough good reasons to invest in storage systems for self-generated solar power. Nevertheless, the
arguments for installing storage systems have gained even more importance in the past year. Get the most recent facts and figures in this trend paper.
Photovoltaics is currently experiencing the greatest momentum in its history globally and has been growing continuously for years. However, for a successful energy transition, ambitions must keep growing.
To operate our power grid safely and stably, we have to create a balance between the growing proportion of weather-dependent power generation and fluctuating consumption. For a swift response to fluctuations in demand and production, flexibility is becoming increasingly important because it prevents expensive interventions in case of bottlenecks and ensures a safe supply with volatile photovoltaics and wind energy. Read more about three application trends.
Many municipal utilities have become hotbeds of the new energy world and drivers of climate protection. They are developing new business models and are actively promoting the transition of the electricity, heating and transportation sectors.
There is a growing trend to combine large-scale photovoltaic installations with wind power and battery storage systems.
As we move towards decarbonization and greater sector coupling, the worlds of photovoltaics, battery storage and e-mobility are becoming increasingly intertwined. This trend was clear to see at The smarter E Europe 2022.
Thanks to their particularly low electricity production costs, PV Power Plants are the most important drivers of the photovoltaics market. These are increasingly financed with partners in the industrial sector or energy industry through multiple-year power purchase agreements (PPA). This enables companies to hedge against rocketing electricity prices from fossil and nuclear power plants and take practical steps towards reaching their climate targets.
More flexible, modular, simpler, lighter and at the same time more robust, load-bearing and durable: this is where manufacturers of mounting systems for PV modules are optimizing their products and solutions, as became clear at Intersolar Europe 2022 in Munich.
The new German government has set out ambitious goals for renewable energies, having announced that they are to account for 80% of the electricity market by 2030 and that more than 15 gigawatts (GW) of photovoltaic capacity is to be installed annually. This means there is more need than ever before for additional surface areas and applications for photovoltaics. Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) presents tremendous opportunities to meet these goals, particularly in urban environments.
Frequently hailed as the third pillar of the global PV market, floating photovoltaic plants are gaining traction around the world.
Despite challenging market conditions, such as global supply chain disruptions and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, photovoltaics is booming in Europe. Despite this, even more ambitious goals are required to meet the climate objectives set out in the Paris Agreement.
The new German government has boosted the speed of the energy transition. Its aim is to reach a total PV capacity of 200 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 – which is more than three times the current amount.
Storage systems are becoming increasingly important as we generate more and more power from the volatile wind and sun. Short-term storage systems located directly at the point where a wind or solar park is connected to the grid offer a solution for tackling fluctuations in power production and will play a key role in the energy transition.
Commercial enterprises, particularly those with a high energy consumption (manufacturing), are facing more and more pressure to adapt to a changing energy system and in turn must and also want to find ways to optimize their energy consumption.
The German government’s climate targets are ambitious. They require real action on the part of businesses if they are to be met. Awareness of the issue of climate change is constantly increasing.
A fluctuating power consumption is confronted by a volatile power supply. Flexibility is needed in order to stabilize the power grid and balance out fluctuations between supply and demand. Above all, more flexible consumption is key for the success of the transformation of the energy system.