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To accelerate deep decarbonisation in the energy sector, the discipline of economics should focus on identifying feasible instead of optimal policies. To do so, economic analysis should include four features: complexity (a), non-economic aspects (b), uncertainty (c) and stakeholders (d). The aim of this paper is to show that qualitative scenario analysis represents a promising alternative to conventional optimisation approaches and meets these requirements. This paper develops qualitative scenarios for the case study of gas infrastructure modifications with hydrogen and carbon capture and storage technologies in Germany. In the results, the six socio-economic qualitative scenarios are described in more detail. A comparison between the case study and a conventional approach reveals three limitations of the latter and highlights the value of qualitative scenario development. The authors distil the advantages of qualitative scenario analysis and discuss challenges and chances, that go beyond the case study. In conclusion, developing socio-economic scenarios has a large potential to improve economic policy assessment. It also allows to catch up with the rethinking of energy research taking place in other disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, research on carbon dioxide removal (CDR) has significantly increased. Numerous studies have analyzed demonstration projects, outlined scenarios, modeled pathways, or focused on CDR's national or international governance. However, regional case studies investigating the dynamics that may facilitate or impede the broader adoption of CDR methods in spatially explicit settings are critically absent. Understanding implementation contexts on the ground is vital, and comparing them across different removal methods is essential for effectively scaling up CDR. This paper aims to address this research gap by comparatively examining the development of biomass-based CDR in three regions of Germany. Taking an exploratory approach, we conducted surveys in these regions to gain insight into stakeholder perceptions of the following six CDR methods: forest management, agriculture and soil carbon, long-lasting building materials, rewetting of peatlands and paludiculture, biochar, and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. In this article, we present the results of the stakeholder survey, which offers multiple perspectives that can shape future studies of regional implementation and yield policy-relevant guidance. Although our research primarily focuses on the regional level in Germany, it sheds light on various conflicts, uncertainties, and potentials that are likely to be relevant for the rollout of CDR in other countries. By examining these aspects, we contribute to the broader discourse on CDR and its potential implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency of extreme weather events has increased in the latest years in Europe. The recent consecutive droughts caused severe damage in many sectors and underlined the demand for adaptation. There is a need for a better understanding of the response of ecosystems to climate change and the consequences for key ecosystem services, such as water supply and carbon sequestration, at a local and regional scale. This paper aims to support decision-making for climate adaptation in a low-mountainous region of central Germany. We analysed the temperature and precipitation trends and drought conditions. The response of two key services (surface water provision and carbon sequestration) to droughts is estimated using an ecosystem service model. The spatially averaged water yield, net ecosystem productivity (NEP), and soil moisture are assessed and compared for the five worst droughts with long-term averages to identify the vulnerable areas and ecosystems. The temperature increased on seasonal and annual scales, while precipitation decreased in some areas in summer and increased in winter and annually. The standardised precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI) showed worsening drought conditions, especially after the late 1980s. Droughts caused a reduction of water yield by 54%, NEP by 18%, and upper zone soil moisture by 13%. The impacts varied spatially, with the central region being worst affected, while the southern part was relatively more resilient. Adaptation is urgently needed to reduce drought risks and enhance climate resilience. Adaptive measures can include amending crop rotations, introducing more drought-tolerant varieties, upgrading agriculture and food industry technology, increasing mixed forests, and reducing non-native tree species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-carbon energy requires more land than the non-renewable resources. This paper balances holistic assessments of the land demands for biomass heating and their ecosystem services. It is predicted that biomass will continue to play an important role in the heating sector in Germany by 2050, as it is one way to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce CO2 emissions. To balance this out, it is important to ensure that the substitution of fossil fuels with fuelwood does not result in losses in biodiversity, natural forest, and agricultural land. Based on the observed types of fuel demand, the need for space in terms of the growing area is characterized as the corresponding land under the consideration of a given land-use type. Formulas have been applied at the federal level in Germany. The area required to supply an average German household is 0.64 ha if all the wood harvested is used for energy purposes, but this is in competition with all other types of timber use. Fuelwood from thinning alone cannot meet the domestic demand. However, a sustainable supply of woody biomass is possible if residues mainly from forestry and the wood processing industry are used, causing a land demand of 2.69 ha per house, possibly in combination with smaller shares of the above-mentioned types of use. Thus, the shares of pellets and wood chips for heating purposes should be expanded, which would also bring ecological advantages. The qualitative consideration of forest ecosystem services shows that changing the forest composition or management may increase the fuelwood supply but does not necessarily decrease forest ecological services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformation concepts towards a low-carbon society often require new technology and infrastructure that evoke protests in the population. Therefore, it is crucial to understand positions and conflicts in society to achieve social acceptance. This paper analyses these positions using the example of implementing hydrogen and carbon capture and storage infrastructure to decarbonise the German energy system. The empirical basis of the study are explorative stakeholder interviews which were conducted with experts from politics, economics, civil society and science and analysed within a discursive and attitudinal framework using qualitative content analysis. These stakeholder positions are assumed to represent dominant social perceptions and reflect chances and risks for acceptance. The results indicate different positions while pursuing the common goal of addressing climate change. The general conflict concerns strategies towards a low-carbon society, especially the speed of phasing-out fossil energies. Regarding the combination of hydrogen and carbon capture and storage as instrument in the context of the energy transition, the stakeholder interviews indicate controversial as well as consensual perceptions. The assessments range from rejection to deeming it absolutely necessary. Controversial argumentations refer to security of supply, competitiveness and environmental protection. In contrast, consensus can be reached by balancing ecological and economic arguments, e.g. by linking hydrogen technologies with renewable and fossil energy sources or by limiting the use of carbon capture and storage only to certain applications (industry, bioenergy). In further decisions, this balancing of arguments combined with openness of technology, transparency of information and citizen participation need to be considered to achieve broad acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the public perception of energy transition pathways, that is, individual behaviors, political strategies, and technologies that aim to foster a shift toward a low-carbon and sustainable society. We employed affective image analysis, a structured method based on free associations to explore positive and negative connotations and affective meanings. Affective image analysis allows to tap into affective meanings and to compare these meanings across individuals, groups, and cultures. Data were collected among university students in Norway (n = 106) and Germany (n = 125). A total of 25 energy transition pathway components were presented to the participants who generated one free association to each component by indicating the first that came to mind when thinking of the component. Participants evaluated their associations by indicating whether they considered each association to be positive, negative, or neutral. These associations were coded by two research assistants, which resulted in 2650 coded responses in the Norwegian sample and 2846 coded responses in the German sample. Results for the two samples are remarkably similar. The most frequent type of association is a general evaluation of the component, for example concerning its valence or its importance. The second most frequent types of association are requirements needed to implement the component (e.g., national policies) and consequences of the component (e.g., personal or environmental consequences). Individual behaviors (e.g., walking) elicited thoughts about consequences and requirements, but also about the prevalence of such behaviors. Associations in response to technologies (e.g., carbon capture and storage) mainly referred to some descriptive aspect of the technology. Evaluations of the free responses were predominantly positive, but some components also elicited negative associations, especially nuclear power. The free associations that people generate suggest that they have vague and unspecific knowledge about energy transition pathways, that they process them in an automatic and intuitive rather than deliberative manner, and that they have clear affective evaluations of the presented components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reach their net‐zero targets, countries will have to compensate hard‐to‐abate CO2 emissions through carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Yet, current assessments rarely include socio‐cultural or institutional aspects or fail to contextualize CDR options for implementation. Here we present a context‐specific feasibility assessment of CDR options for the example of Germany. We assess 14 CDR options, including three chemical carbon capture options, six options for bioenergy combined with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), and five options that aim to increase ecosystem carbon uptake. The assessment addresses technological, economic, environmental, institutional, social‐cultural and systemic considerations using a traffic‐light system to evaluate implementation opportunities and hurdles. We find that in Germany CDR options like cover crops or seagrass restoration currently face comparably low implementation hurdles in terms of technological, economic, or environmental feasibility and low institutional or social opposition but show comparably small CO2 removal potentials. In contrast, some BECCS options that show high CDR potentials face significant techno‐economic, societal and institutional hurdles when it comes to the geological storage of CO2. While a combination of CDR options is likely required to meet the net‐zero target in Germany, the current climate protection law includes a limited set of options. Our analysis aims to provide comprehensive information on CDR hurdles and possibilities for Germany for use in further research on CDR options, climate, and energy scenario development, as well as an effective decision support basis for various actors. Plain Language Summary: Countries aiming to achieve net‐zero emissions will have to remove the remaining carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through carbon dioxide removal (CDR). However, current assessments of CDR options rarely consider socio‐cultural or institutional aspects or set the CDR options in the specific context of their implementation. In this study, researchers conducted the first context‐specific feasibility assessment of CDR options in Germany, considering six dimensions, including technological, economic, environmental, institutional, and social‐cultural aspects. The study assessed 14 CDR options, including chemical carbon capture options, bioenergy combined with carbon capture and storage, and options to increase ecosystem carbon uptake. The study found that CDR options like cover crops or seagrass restoration face low implementation hurdles but have small CO2 removal potentials, while options like woody‐biomass combustion or mixed‐feedstock biogas production have high CDR potentials but face large economic and institutional hurdles. The analysis aims to provide comprehensive information on CDR options for use in further research and as an effective decision support basis for a range of actors. Key Points: More context‐specific assessments of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) options are needed to guide national net‐zero decision makingEcosystem‐based CDR options with comparably low implementation hurdles in Germany show relatively small CO2 removal potentialsHigh CDR potential options in Germany face high institutional, technological and societal hurdles linked in many ways to geological storage [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous monitoring of volcanic gas emissions is crucial for understanding volcanic activity and potential eruptions. However, emissions of volcanic gases underwater are infrequently studied or quantified. This study explores the potential of Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) technology to monitor underwater volcanic degassing. DAS converts fiber-optic cables into high-resolution vibration recording arrays, providing measurements at unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. We conducted an experiment at Laacher See volcano in Germany, immersing a fiber-optic cable in the lake and interrogating it with a DAS system. We detected and analyzed numerous acoustic signals that we associated with bubble emissions in different lake areas. Three types of text-book bubbles exhibiting characteristic waveforms are all found from our detections, indicating different nucleation processes and bubble sizes. Using clustering algorithms, we classified bubble events into four distinct clusters based on their temporal and spectral characteristics. The temporal distribution of the events provided insights into the evolution of gas seepage patterns. This technology has the potential to revolutionize underwater degassing monitoring and provide valuable information for studying volcanic processes and estimating gas emissions. Furthermore, DAS can be applied to other applications, such as monitoring underwater carbon capture and storage operations or methane leaks associated with climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating leys, cover crops, and animal manures constitute promising avenues to reach annual soil organic carbon changes (ΔSOC) >0.4% in forage and grain-based crop rotations, rates required to offset the increasing C emissions from fossil fuels ("4 per mille" initiative). How these practices and rotations perform in reaching this aim was object of analysis in this paper. Five cropping systems (CS), including three three-year forage and grain-based crop rotations containing annual grass-clover leys (FR and MR) or cover crops (GR), and two contrasting controls (continuous silage maize (CM), and permanent grassland (PG)) were compared for their impact on SOC stocks over eight years (2010–2018). The CS were unfertilized (N0) or fertilized using cattle slurry (N1) at a rate of 240 kg N ha−1 yr−1 applied in the non-leguminous crops. The ΔSOC of the top 30 cm soil layer and the annual carbon inputs (Cin) from slurry applications and plant residues were estimated, their relationship established, and the slurry-induced C retention coefficient was determined. The FR and MR SOC stocks remained stable at N1, while the GR and CM SOC decreased over time by tendency even at N1. Only the PG reached ΔSOC >0.4%. Differences in ΔSOC between CS and N rates were highly associated with the system-specific increase in belowground Cin, induced by slurry applications. Slurry-induced C retention coefficients differed strongly between CS: CM (3%) followed by GR (12%), and by FR and MR (20–15%), and lastly by PG (24%). Promoting belowground carbon inputs was identified as an efficient way to reach significant increases in ΔSOC. We conclude that a ley in only one out of three years is not sufficient to significantly increase SOC stocks in arable crop rotations of the study region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: We provide a set of allometric models for wild cherry trees (Prunus avium L.) established in agroforestry systems. A total of 70 trees in southwestern Germany were surveyed using terrestrial laser scanning and analysed using quantitative structure models. The derived allometric models provide a stable base for biomass estimation in comparable agroforestry systems. Our biomass model, based on volume estimates converted to biomass, shows no significant differences to a previous study in the same region on the same species, although it was conducted on agroforestry trees under a different management regime. Context: Wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a common tree species in agroforestry systems (AFS). Utilised for either fruit production or for high-value timber production, it is a highly relevant species, yet even basic allometric models are lacking. Aims: The aim of this study was to develop a set of allometric models for wild cherry trees in AFS. Within this context, we present an innovative non-destructive approach to estimate bark and wood volume separately by applying bark thickness models to 3D models of trees. To assess model applicability to different AFS, we compared our allometric model for above-ground biomass with a previous biomass model for wild cherry trees under different management in the same region. Methods: Wild cherry trees (n = 70) located within AFS in southern Germany were scanned with a terrestrial laser scanner. Quantitative structure models were used to derive tree dimensions and above-ground volume per tree. Using additional auxiliary data, the target variables were derived, and corresponding allometric models were fitted. Results: The allometric models estimating above-ground volume, oven-dry biomass, carbon content and nutrient content based on diameter at breast height (DBH) showed excellent fits (R2adj ≥ 0.97). The comparisons with a similar study conducted in the same region suggested that management practices such as pruning have only a minor influence on the relationship between DBH and above-ground tree biomass. The nutrient content in the trees decreased in the order Ca > N > K > Mg > P. Conclusions: The derived allometric models provide valuable information on this important agroforestry tree species. Our findings can both inform management practices in AFS and advance ecological understanding of these systems. Future research should focus on developing allometric models for other tree species relevant to AFS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have analysed the environmental impact of vegan, vegetarian, or reduced meat diets. To date, literature has not evaluated how diet shifts affect environmental impacts by utilising portfolios which reflect personal nutrition preferences. Further, changing diets could alter the available land for non-food uses. This paper defines novel diet portfolios to outline alternative diet transitions and choices within the population and finds their effect on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primary energy use, and land use in Germany. The aim of this study is to capture how these diet shifts affect land availability and increase the options for land-based climate change mitigation strategies. To do so, a contextualisation is made to compare the use of freed-up land for afforestation or biomethane production (with and without carbon capture and storage). The investigated diet portfolios lead to a reduction of the investigated impacts (GHG emissions: 7–67%; energy use: 5–46%; land use: 6–64%). Additionally, afforestation of freed-up land from each diet portfolio leads to further emission removals of 4–37%. In comparison, using the land to produce energy crops for biomethane production could lead to 2–23% further CO2-eq emission reductions when replacing fossil methane. If biomethane production is paired with carbon capture and storage, emission abatement is increased to 3–34%. This research indicates various short-term pathways to reduce GHG emissions with portfolio diet shifts. Utilising freed-up land for climate change mitigation strategies could prove essential to meet climate targets, but trade-offs with, e.g. biodiversity and ecosystem services exist and should be considered. • Diet portfolios are used to represent realistic population diets. • Diet portfolios include a mixture of 12 different diets. • GHG emissions decrease by 67% if the population adopts a Vegan diet. • Afforestation removes almost double the emissions compared to biomethane. • BECCS has similar GHG abatement to afforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of oxyfuel carbon capture and storage technologies in combination with use of alternative fuels comprising high biogenic shares is promoted as an attractive climate change mitigation option for the cement sector to achieve low or even negative carbon emissions. Here, we perform a prospective life cycle assessment of two state-of-the art cement plants, one in Sweden and one in Germany, under conventional and retrofitted oxyfuel conditions considering alternative fuel mixes with increasing bio-based fractions of forest residues or dedicated bioenergy crops. The analysis also considers effects of the projected changes in the electricity systems up to 2050. Retrofitting the cement plants to oxyfuel reduces climate change impacts between 74 and 91%, while with additional use of biomass as alternative fuel the cement plants reach negative emission between − 24 and − 169 gCO2eq. kgclinker−1, depending on operational condition, location, and biomass type. Additional emission reduction of − 10 (Sweden) and − 128 gCO2eq. kgclinker−1 (Germany) are expected from the decarbonization of the future electricity systems. Retrofitting the cement plants to oxyfuel conditions shows trade-offs with other environmental impacts (e.g., human toxicity, water and energy depletion), which are partially offset with projected changes in electricity systems. Our results illustrate the large climate change mitigation potential in the cement sector that can be achieved by the implementation of oxyfuel carbon capture and storage and biomass use as alternative fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the maximum forest stand density and the self-thinning process is important for understanding, modelling and scheduling thinnings in silviculture. The upper trajectories of stem number, N , vs mean diameter, dq or mean tree volume vs stem number are often used for quantifying maximum stand density. The long debate about how site conditions modify these relationships is presently revived due to global change. A crucial question is whether environmental conditions alter the trajectories themselves or just the velocity at which stands move along them. Our contribution is based on fully stocked plots from long-term Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) fertilization experiments along an ecological gradient in South Germany. This allows us to compare the self-thinning trajectories of fertilized and unfertilized plots under different environmental conditions. We can show that repeated fertilization with nitrogen did not change the N ~ dq trajectories. Assuming that fertilization affects forests in a similar way as an ongoing atmospheric N -deposition, this means that presently growth, mortality, and volume accumulation in forest stands proceed faster in time but still follow the same N ~ dq allometric trajectories. Furthermore, we found that the level of the self-thinning line generally increases with the annual precipitation. The allometric self-thinning exponent, however, did not respond to environmental conditions. Finally, we quantitatively demonstrate and discuss the implications and consequences of the results regarding understanding and modelling forest stand dynamics, carbon sequestration and the development and adaptation of silvicultural guidelines in view of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensification of food production systems has resulted in landscape simplification, with trees and hedges disappearing from agricultural land, principally in industrialized countries. However, more recently, the potential of agroforestry systems and small woody landscape features (SWFs), e.g., hedgerows, woodlots, and scattered groups of trees, to sequester carbon was highlighted as one of the strategies to combat global climate change. Our study was aimed to assess the extent of SWFs embedded within agricultural landscapes in Germany, estimate their carbon stocks, and investigate the potential for increasing agroforestry cover to offset agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We analyzed open-source geospatial datasets and identified over 900,000 hectares of SWFs on agricultural land, equivalent to 4.6% of the total farmland. The carbon storage of SWFs was estimated at 111 ± 52 SD teragrams of carbon (Tg C), which was previously unaccounted for in GHG inventories and could play a role in mitigating the emissions. Furthermore, we found cropland to have the lowest SWF density and thus the highest potential to benefit from the implementation of agroforestry, which could sequester between 0.2 and 2 Tg of carbon per year. Our study highlights that country-specific data are urgently needed to refine C stock estimates, improve GHG inventories and inform the large-scale implementation of agroforestry in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisations attempt to contribute their share towards fighting the climate crisis by trying to reduce their emission of greenhouse gases effectively towards net zero. An instrument to guide their reduction efforts is internal carbon pricing. Next to choosing the right pricing tool, defining the exact value of an internal carbon price, especially against the background of potential regulatory external carbon prices, and assessing its impact on business units' energy systems poses a challenge for organisations. The academic literature has so far not examined the impact differences of an internal carbon price across different countries, which this paper addresses by using an optimisation model. First, it analyses the energy system cost increase of a real-world facility based on an internal carbon price compared to a potential regulatory carbon price within a country. Second, we evaluate the energy system cost increase based on an internal carbon price across different countries. The results show that with regard to internal carbon prices the additional total system cost compared to potential external carbon prices stays within 9%, 15%, and 59% for Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom, respectively. The increase in the energy system cost in each country varies between 3% and 93%. For all countries, the cost differences can be reduced by allowing the installation of renewables. The integration of renewables via energy storage and power-to-heat technologies depends on the renewable potentials and the availability of carbon capture and storage. If organisations do not account for these differences, it might raise the disapproval of internal carbon prices within the organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and climate change can have impacts on ecological structures and functions, and thus on the integrity of ecosystems and their services. Operationalization of ecosystem integrity is still an important desideratum. Results: A methodology for classifying the ecosystem integrity of forests in Germany under the influence of climate change and atmospheric nitrogen deposition is presented. The methodology was based on 14 indicators for six ecosystem functions: habitat function, net primary function, carbon sequestration, nutrient and water flux, resilience. It allows assessments of ecosystem integrity changes by comparing current or prospective ecosystem states with ecosystem-type-specific reference states as described by quantitative indicators for 61 forest ecosystem types based on data before 1990. Conclusion: The method developed enables site-specific classifications of ecosystem integrity as well as classifications with complete coverage and determinations of temporal trends as shown using examples from the Thuringian Forest and the "Kellerwald-Edersee" National Park (Germany). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In both the private and public sectors, green hydrogen is treated as a promising alternative to fossil energy commodities. However, building up production capacities involves significant carbon production, especially when considering secondary infrastructure, e.g., renewable power sources. The amount of required capacity as well as the carbon production involved is calculated in this article. Using Germany as an example we show that the switch to purely green hydrogen involves significant bow waves in terms of carbon production as well as financial and resource demand. An economic model for an optimal decision is derived and—based on empirical estimates—calibrated. It shows that, even if green hydrogen is a competitive technology in the future, using alternatives like turquoise hydrogen or carbon capture and storage is necessary to significantly reduce or even avoid the mentioned bow waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Highlights: Our results provide novel perspectives on the effectiveness and collapse of compensatory mechanisms of tracheid development of Norway spruce during intra-seasonal drought and the environmental control of intra-annual density fluctuations. Background and Objectives: This study aimed to compare and integrate complementary methods for investigating intra-annual wood formation dynamics to gain a better understanding of the endogenous and environmental control of tree-ring development and the impact of anticipated climatic changes on forest growth and productivity. Materials and Methods: We performed an integrated analysis of xylogenesis observations, quantitative wood anatomy, and point-dendrometer measurements of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees growing along an elevational gradient in South-western Germany during a growing season with an anomalous dry June followed by an extraordinary humid July. Results: Strong endogenous control of tree-ring formation was suggested at the highest elevation where the decreasing rates of tracheid enlargement and wall thickening during drought were effectively compensated by increased cell differentiation duration. A shift to environmental control of tree-ring formation during drought was indicated at the lowest elevation, where we detected absence of compensatory mechanisms, eventually stimulating the formation of an intra-annual density fluctuation. Transient drought stress in June also led to bimodal patterns and decreasing daily rates of stem radial displacement, radial xylem growth, and woody biomass production. Comparing xylogenesis data with dendrometer measurements showed ambivalent results and it appears that, with decreasing daily rates of radial xylem growth, the signal-to-noise ratio in dendrometer time series between growth and fluctuations of tree water status becomes increasingly detrimental. Conclusions: Our study provides new perspectives into the complex interplay between rates and durations of tracheid development during dry-wet cycles, and, thereby, contributes to an improved and mechanistic understanding of the environmental control of wood formation processes, leading to the formation of intra-annual density fluctuations in tree-rings of Norway spruce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To manage greenhouse gas emissions, directives on renewable energy usage have been developed by the European Commission with the objective to reduce overall emissions by 40% by 2030 which presents a significant potential for renewable energy sources. At the same time, it is a challenge for these energy technologies which can only be solved by integrated solutions. Carbon capture and storage combined with geothermal energy could serve as a novel approach to reduce CO2 emissions and at the same time facilitate some of the negative impacts associated with fossil fuel-based power plants. This study focuses on the technical and economic feasibility of combining these technologies based on a published model, data and market research. In the European Union, Germany is the most energy intensive country, and it also has an untapped potential for geothermal energy in the northern as well as the western regions. The CO2 plume geothermal system using supercritical carbon dioxide as the working fluid can be utilized in natural high porosity (10–20%) and permeability (2.5 × 10−14–8.4 × 10−16 m2) reservoirs with temperatures as low as 65.8 °C. The feasibility of the project was assessed based on market conditions and policy support in Germany as well as the geologic background of sandstone reservoirs near industrialized areas (Dortmund, Frankfurt) and the possibility of carbon capture integration and CO2 injection. The levelized cost of electricity for a base case results in € 0.060/kWh. Optimal system type was assessed in a system optimization model. The project has a potential to supply 6600/12000 households with clean energy (electricity/heat) and sequester carbon dioxide at the same time. A trading scheme for carbon dioxide further expands potential opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]