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Paper was already being used in southwestern Germany before the first paper mills began production there in the late 14th century. But it was the establishment of a local paper industry that made the still relatively new writing material available in large quantities. The demand for paper made the operation of a paper mill seem profitable, and the increased supply of paper in turn fueled the rise in writing. At the end of the Middle Ages, paper thus became the material basis of a media evolution that extended far into modern times. But how was the new writing material produced? The new craft of papermaking differed significantly from the production of parchment, the traditional writing material, in terms of equipment, raw materials, capital requirements, and working methods. Nevertheless, papermaking could use already existing infrastructures, especially in the field of energy supply by waterwheels. This article examines the specific characteristics of the new craft using the example of the German southwest, where numerous paper mills were established in the 15th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sun's total radiation alone exceeds the world population's entire energy consumption by 7.500 times and ignites secondary renewable energy sources. The end energy consumption buildings use for heating amounts to 28% of Germany's total energy consumption. With the ongoing trend of digitalization and the transition of the German energy supply away from fossil fuels and the consequent political dependency, electric heat pumps and photovoltaic (PV) systems have become increasingly important to the discussion. This has led to an increasing demand for smart control strategies, especially for inert systems such as thermally activated building systems (TABS). This paper presents and analyses a weather predictive control (WPC) strategy using a validated thermodynamic simulation model. The literature review of this paper outlines that the current common control strategies are data intense and complex in their implementation into the built environment. The simple approach of the WPC uses future ambient temperature and solar radiation to optimize the control of the heating, cooling, ventilation, and sun protection system. The thermal comfort and energy demand evaluate the concept. We show that with a WPC for TABS, thermal comfort can improve without increasing the energy demand for the office building in the moderate climate of Munich. Furthermore, this paper concludes that the WPC works more effectively with more thermal mass. This simplified building control strategy promotes the European roadmap goal of climate neutrality in 2050, as it bridges the phenomenon of the performance gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the heat demand of existing buildings is an essential prerequisite for achieving a greenhouse gas-neutral energy supply. Numerous studies and open-source tools deal with heat demand mapping. It is not uncommon that estimated heat demands deviate from real heat consumption, so existing approaches should be improved by including in-depth building information. Some tools have recognised this problem and offer built-in functions for factoring various parameters into their assessments. Nevertheless, the necessary information is usually missing and should be obtained first. In this paper, we analyse the impact of thermal refurbishment and climate on building heat demand; hence, generate public datasets with corresponding key figures for each building type in different efficiency states and years. Accounting for already performed refurbishments in methodologies for assessing the actual state heat demand for cities will result in a reduction of at least 8% up to more than 21%, depending on whether conventional or passive house components were installed. As a result of climatic differences within Germany, a building's heat demand can be up to 39% higher or up to 21% lower than the heat demand of an identical building in the reference climate of Germany. By further developing the approaches of the tools Hotmaps and Heat Cadastre Hamburg, we could improve the estimated heat demand of Hamburg to a value approximating the real consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formulating energy policies at national, European, and global levels is extremely challenging. The move away from fossil fuels is associated with a variety of technological, economic, and social implications, each of which is subject to dynamic changes and societal scrutiny and can hardly be predicted with certainty. Therefore, a fact-based assessment for the path to a sustainable green energy future is sought out in this paper, using the road-based mobility sector of the Federal Republic of Germany as an example. The analysis performed in this paper is built on publicly accessible, reputable sources like DESTATIS and EUROSTAT. In addition, some very simple calculations were made, e.g., on the potential for wind and photovoltaic energy within Germany. Such an analysis needs to start with the overall energy consumption of any one country. A basic assumption of the paper is that the energy system of the future will be based to a large extent on electricity and its storage in chemical energy. It is assumed that, in addition to hydrogen, liquid energy sources will play a significant role due to the simplicity of their logistics and the subsequent implications on cost. Examples of green, electricity-based fuels with great potential are methanol, methane, and ammonia. Additionally, biomass plays an important role, either for direct use as a fuel or as a source of non-fossil carbon. Today, biofuels, i.e., biodiesel and bioethanol, deliver the largest contribution to climate protection in the EU transport sector. The main goal—the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions—often collides with geopolitical circumstances or national political necessities. This includes, for example, the current world market situation and its national impacts caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. The prospect for a green, sustainable, and defossilized energy supply are discussed in this context. The paper concludes that a defossilized world energy supply and trade based on renewable electricity and its derivatives, eHydrogen and refuels, and on biomass, is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany represents a new and unconventional actor in the field of energy foreign policy. Based on its reputation as an energy transition frontrunner, it is pursuing a soft power strategy aimed at promoting its Energiewende policy approach abroad. Germany's bilateral energy partnerships, this paper argues, represent the government's central policy instrument for this purpose. After a discussion of the German energy transition as a soft power resource, the paper provides an in-depth empirical analysis of Germany's bilateral energy partnerships. The paper argues that the partnerships have been deliberately designed as instruments for mobilizing the Energiewende narrative as soft power. Linking it to concepts in the soft power debate, it discusses the main channels through which the partnerships aim to boost the attractiveness of German policy solutions and persuade partners to consider their adoption. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for further research on the international political economy of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper examines the work and interactions of staff councils in German municipalities and the power resources the staff councils have at disposal. The paper also discusses the relationship between staff councils and trade unions and suggests a modification of the prominent concept of the "dual system of interest representation" to a "trimorphic system of interest representation" for the public sector. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on case studies of staff councils in municipalities and administrative districts, relying on semi-structured interviews, group discussions and document analysis. Findings: Staff councils operate in an extensively regulated field. The major task of staff councils is to monitor that employers follow collective agreements and the law. Staff councils' existence and co-determination rights of staff councils are provided by law; however, staff councils not only use institutional, but also organisational and – occasionally – political power resources, whereas structural and societal power resources are rarely actively used. The relationship between staff councils and trade unions often plays an important role and is in many cases characterised by mutual support. Originality/value: Although staff councils are a widespread and a very interesting type of representation because staff councils represent both employees and civil servants who are employed in two distinctly different employment systems, staff councils are widely under-researched. This paper enriches empirical knowledge about labour relations and introduces the notion of a "trimorphic system of interest representation". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many economies in the Western world have been through a regime shift towards fiscal austerity since the 1970s. Existing scholarship ascribes trends in austerity to globalisation or the influence of a new economic paradigm. This paper develops a different approach by stressing the strategic intervention of central banks in governments' fiscal decisions. It analyses archival documents from the German Federal Cabinet and the Bundesbank Council over more than two decades (1960–1981) and finds that the fiscal regime was shaped by changes in transnational institutions which the central bank used to strategically expand its institutional power within the larger macroeconomic framework. With the breakdown of the Bretton Woods system, the Bundesbank was able to greatly increase its power resources while the government's powers diminished. The Bundesbank used its new powers to strategically 'overreach' into the fiscal sphere and 'bargain' with the government to achieve fiscal reforms. By shedding light on the interactions of global legal and economic developments and the micro-level strategies of state actors, the paper proposes a more complex view of the role of the state and brings state-actor strategies into our understanding of the grand shifts in economic policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexibility potentials are mostly provided by centrally coordinated flexibility resources such as natural-gas-fired power plants. However, the decentralization of power generation combined with the decarbonization of the sector due to the energy transition requires the exploration of new types of flexibility resources. In particular, to reduce dependence on natural-gas-fired power plants, it would be desirable to replace them with alternative flexibility resources. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to analyze, using Germany as an example, to what extent the flexibility potential of already existing battery storage systems can replace the flexibility potential of natural-gas-fired power plants. The methodology used is based on a multi-time-scale flexibility model together with an approach for temporal aggregation of flexibility potentials and two approaches for spatial aggregation of flexibility potentials. Based on the methodology and an analysis of publicly available data, a comprehensive potential analysis is carried out. This analysis shows, among others, that existing battery storage systems have a promising potential to replace a considerable number of natural-gas-fired power plants in Germany in terms of their flexibility potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the background of climate protection and the rising costs of a fossil-fuel-based energy supply, the interest in the energy performance and indoor climate of buildings in real operation is rising. This paper, therefore, deals with the indoor climate investigation of two medium-sized office buildings in Germany by taking measurements over a whole year. These relate to one new building and one refurbished building. Sensors of various types were installed and operated in a large number of office rooms, so that in total results are available for over 100 rooms, typically occupied by one or two persons. The analysis focuses on the indoor temperature in summer and the air quality in winter based on the CO2 concentration. The comfort classes according to DIN EN 16798 including the adaptive comfort approach are used as a basis to cluster the results. Both buildings have movable sun protection and openable windows but no facilities for active cooling. They, thus, represent a large number of existing 'low tech' office buildings in Germany and central Europe. The results reflect the respective building concepts but also show a wide range between the rooms due to the user preferences and behaviour. The refurbished building shows better results, especially in terms of air quality but also in terms of summer room temperatures. This underlines the benefit of the targeted measures as a result of an analysis of the deficits in the existing building before the refurbishment. The additional measures for decentralised mechanical ventilation and passive cooling are having positive effects. As part of the projects, further measures to improve the indoor climate were investigated in both buildings. In one case, this involved CO2 traffic lights to stimulate personal window ventilation in winter, and in the other, the use of newly developed individual ceiling fans supports convective heat dissipation on the human body during hot spells in summer. The positive effect could be demonstrated for both measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of the energy system toward a sustainable energy supply is driven by a continuous development of new technologies. To cope with the challenges emerging from fast-paced changes, more flexible forms of organizing technology development are required. This paper explores how design factors for organizational agility (OA) can be described in the context of technology development. Therefore, structured interviews with 28 power-technology developers with theoretical or practical knowledge of agility were conducted. The results revealed a list of design factors for OA along with four organizational levels. The elaborated factors provide multifaceted design levers to shape an agile organization in technology development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green transitions create major challenges to union power in carbon-intensive economies as well as opportunities for the renewal of union power. This research asks why sometimes unions oppose or delay green transitions while other times unions are more open to green transitions and may even become strong transition supporters. In drawing on the Power Resource Approach, I argue that unions are neither natural opponents nor supporters of green transitions but instead engage strategically with green transitions. Unions' strategic choices to pursue oppositional, reactive, affirmative or transformative transition strategies is guided by an imperative to maintain or expand their power resources. The strategic choices unions make are influenced by several contextual conditions. In a comparative case study on coal transitions in South Africa and Germany, I identify the following contextual conditions: sectoral interests, organisational identity, internal structure, coalitions, political- and socio-economic environment, governance context and public discourse. Regarding each of these, I show how unions make strategic choices to protect or expand different power resources and become agents of transition or defenders of the status quo. This paper contributes to empirical research on drivers behind union transition strategies and offers an analytical framework to explain unions' strategic choices in green transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To analyse problems and features of the formation of perspective concepts and scenarios for the development of the latest structures of energy supply systems for Ukraine in the context of the energy transition and European integration. Methodology. Theoretical studies, analysis, and generalization of scientific and practical results along with the comparative analysis. Findings. The European Green Deal contributes to the wide development of relevant RES-based systems in the EU countries. Ukraine has also declared its active position regarding the issues of low-carbon development and “green” transition with the formation of relevant implementation scenarios until 2035, 2050, and 2070. The paper analyses the current state and structure of the electricity supply system in Germany and Ukraine on their ways to low-carbon development of the energy sector and economy. As a result of the conducted research, it is possible to determine further rational steps for effective transformation of the electric power industry according to the strategy of pragmatic or low-carbon development with further measures to modernize the nuclear and thermal energy sectors and moderate RES development. Development of rational structures of electric power systems of new technological order is a constantly relevant, science-intensive direction, which brings serious changes to the traditional raw-resource economy and energy industry. Originality. The conducted comprehensive analysis of the current state and prospects for the development of the structure of electric power complexes of Ukraine and Germany makes it possible to formulate high-priority rational steps in achieving energy independence and energy security, taking into account low-carbon development of the national economy. Practical value. The represented analytics can be used to ensure sustainable development of Ukrainian energy industry, to form an outlook on problems, prospects, and aspects of optimistic and pessimistic scenarios of the generation system development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large-scale integration of renewable energy sources requires flexibility from power markets in the sense that the latter should quickly counterbalance the renewable supply variation driven by weather conditions. Most power markets cannot (yet) provide this flexibility effectively as they suffer from inelastic demand and insufficient flexible storage capacity or flexible conventional suppliers. Research accordingly shows that the volume of renewable energy in the supply system affects the mean and volatility of power prices. We extend this view and show that the level of wind and solar energy supply affects the tails of the electricity price distributions as well and that it does so asymmetrically. The higher the supply from wind and solar energy sources, the fatter the left tail of the price distribution and the thinner the right tail. This implies that one cannot rely on symmetric price distributions for risk management and for valuation of (flexible) power assets. The evidence in this paper suggests that we have to rethink the methods of subsidizing variable renewable supply such that they take into consideration also the flexibility needs of power markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industrielle Beziehungen is the property of Rainer Hampp Verlag and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Energy supply in Germany is subject to a profound change. The present paper addresses the German potential of storing excess energy from renewable power sources in the geological subsurface. Wind and solar electricity can be transformed into hydrogen, and with carbon dioxide subsequently into methane. When needed, electricity is regained in a gas turbine power plant combusting the methane. Here, we are taking into account the actual German storage capacity for natural gas and show that the outlined technology is ready for operation and economically competitive. The current potential for combined storage of methane and carbon dioxide allows to store around 80 TWh renewable excess energy. This is far more than required to date and estimated to provide the entire coverage in 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of environmental impacts of grounded high‐ and extra‐high voltage cables under natural conditions The green offshore wind power is primarily generated decentral in the north of Germany and, in order to ensure a secure power supply, the green power must be transported to the other parts of the country. In terms of electricity transmission, the 525 kV direct‐current underground cable projects SuedOstLink and SuedLink are worth mentioning. Coupled thermal‐hydraulic models are effective planning tools for the technical planning and environmentally compatible design of high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) underground cable routes. Associated with this is the evaluation of the effects of the operational heat emissions on the protected goods soil, water, flora and fauna as well as the agricultural concerns. The solution of the time‐dependent and nonlinear heat‐, density‐, pore‐space‐ and water content‐dependent differential equations associated with a model requires special numerical solution approaches and processes to obtain an appropriate spatial and temporal resolution. For the correct calculation of the heat and hydraulic mass transport in the soil, besides the soil heat, the coupled water and water vapor transport, the atmospheric boundary conditions, the vegetation‐dependent evaporation parameters, and the heat emission emanating from the HVDC underground cable must be considered. In addition to the simulation, an analysis of the sensitivity of the model parameters and model boundary conditions has to be considered in order to obtain realistic model results. In this paper, the process flows of a thermal‐hydraulic model are presented coherently using a synthetic example of a 525 kV direct current underground cable project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2002, Germany and Austria have a common power price zone which is commonly referred to as the German-Austrian bidding zone, or price zone1. Today, this bidding zone and its potential breakup is subject to a debate of some controversy. Independent of the interests of different participants, this paper investigates the market effects a breakup would entail. The paper analyses the market outcomes with respect to the energy policy objective triangle of (i) affordability, (ii) security of supply, and (iii) sustainability2. It aims to answer key questions regarding the price development one can expect in the affected countries (affordability), if there will be supply shortages (security of supply), and which power plants will be deployed (sustainability). A fundamental model is used for the computations, from which different scenarios of a breakup and a continuation of the common price zone are modelled. The analysis shows that the German energy policy objectives of affordability and sustainability are influenced positively by a breakup of the common bidding zone, whilst the same objectives are impacted negatively for Austria. Some of the neighbouring countries could expect slightly positive effects on affordability and others slightly negative effects. However, the largest neighbouring markets stay virtually unaffected by a breakup of the German-Austrian bidding zone. Altogether, the results indicate that a price zone split would result in overall cost savings and lower CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The transition to an intermittent energy production from renewable energy sources (RES) increases the complexity of providing reliable energy supply in Germany. Yet the growing number of RES impede the necessary effort to control the system. The introduction of digital or smart energy systems is often proclaimed as a logical next step towards coping with this rising complexity. It seems convenient that the manufacturing industry, as one of the major energy consumers, is currently also in a process of a digital transition, the fourth industrial revolution. This paper explores the current state of expert discourse on the role of a digitized industry as a potential enabler for the energy transition using Germany as a case study. For this purpose, we gathered qualitative data through semistructured interviews among industry managers and energy researchers. We identified the three major areas in the expert discourse of industry's future potentials: (1) increasing transparency in the energy system, (2) providing demand flexibility, and (3) increasing energy efficiency. In this paper, we address the internal barriers and explore industry's reluctance to interact with the energy system in order to initiate a transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most ambitious national energy transition initiatives worldwide, the German Energiewende is attracting a huge amount of attention globally in both policy and research circles. The paper explores the implementation of Germany's energy transition through the lens of organisation and ownership in urban and regional contexts. Following a summary of the principal institutional challenges of the Energiewende at local and regional levels the paper develops a novel way of conceptualising the institutional to urban and regional energy transitions in terms of agency and power, ideas and discourse, and commons and ownership. This analytical heuristic is applied to a two-tier empirical study of the Berlin–Brandenburg region. The first tier involves a survey of the organisational landscape of energy infrastructures and services in cities, towns and villages in Brandenburg. The second tier comprises a case study of current, competing initiatives for (re-)gaining ownership of the power grid and utility in Berlin. The paper draws conclusions on the diverse and dynamic organisational responses to the Energiewende at the local level, what these tell us about urban and regional energy governance and how they are inspired by – or in opposition to – new forms of collective ownership resonant of recent debates on reclaiming the commons. It concludes with observations on how relational approaches to institutional research and the notion of the commons can guide and inspire future research on socio-technical transitions in general, and urban energy transitions in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the incentives market participants have in the German electricity balancing mechanism. Strategic over and undersupply positions are the result of existing stochastic arbitrage opportunities between the spot market and the balancing mechanism. Clear indications for strategic behavior can be observed in aggregate market data. These structural imbalances increase the need for reserve capacity, raise system security concerns, and therefore place significant costs on consumers. The underlying problem is the disconnect between spot market, reserve capacity market and balancing mechanism. Alternative market design options discussed in this paper suggest better alignment between these markets/mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy scenarios describing transition pathways towards low-emission energy systems are commonly used to design mitigation strategies. There is a growing awareness in the research community that energy transitions should be understood as socio-technical transitions and that energy scenario construction should reflect this fact. This paper presents an application of a socio-technical scenario building method for improving long-term scenarios and strategies for the energy transition in Germany. Developing integrated scenarios on a national level starts with employing the cross impact balancing (CIB) approach for identifying consistent societal scenarios. As a first step, relevant context factors are selected and defined (39 descriptors and alternative future developments). Interviews with experts are used to develop a qualitative impact network for the CIB. The resulting context scenarios are then transferred to quantitative energy scenarios by using two different energy models that account for energy demand and supply structures for Germany. A final evaluation focuses on primary energy demand, renewable energy shares, and direct energy-related CO2 emissions. The approach integrates statements of societal and energy model experts and results in an interdisciplinary knowledge integration. This in turn provides insight into the method's capacity to improve the consistency of energy scenarios and to identify potential societal risks related to the energy transition process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mining Report is the property of GVSt,GesamtverbandSteinkohlee.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper analyses the development and diffusion of technologies that utilize renewable energy sources in Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands. The analysis enlarges the life cycle model of industry evolution to one where the focus is on the formation and evolution of new technological systems. Particular focus is on explaining success and failures in shifting from a formative phase into one characterized by positive feedbacks. A set of challenges is identified for policy makers attempting to influence the process of transforming the energy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germany strives to transition its energy supply system toward a high share of renewables, a development accompanied by an increasingly decentralized supply structure. The country’s energy strategy represents an influential top-down mechanism, but the process is also driven from the bottom up. The German federal states (Laender) experiment and innovate, and some explicitly strive to be forerunners in renewable energy policy. Due to different geographic, economic and demographic structures, however, they set different priorities and their strategies are not always aligned with the national strategy. In addressing these issues, this paper explores the advantages and constraints which multi-level governance poses to Germany’s transition towards a renewable energy system. It refers to the academic debate on German federalism and reinforced diffusion of renewable electricity production by horizontal and vertical dynamics in multi-level systems. In focusing on renewable energy policy at the national and subnational level, as well as their interplay, this paper asks whether national and subnational renewable energy policies are aligned hence providing for a multi-level reinforcement of the ongoing energy transition process. It shows that the Energy transition is on the one hand advanced through experimentation at the subnational level of the Laender. It claims that on the other hand the Laender risk increased inefficiencies and macroeconomic cost if they focus on an inwardly directed policy and argues for enhanced coordination efforts. It argues that the mechanisms of cooperative federalism in Germany’s renewable energy policy are inadequate with regard to the implementation of the “German Energiewende”. The present multi-level governance structure does not provide for the necessary integration of national and subnational energy policies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Citizen energy cooperatives (CECOs) are an important element for realising the transformation of the European energy system from a central system, dominated by a few market players to a decentralized system with the participation of many citizens, in which energy supply is largely based on renewable energy sources. This article identifies success factors that ensure a working organization that is capable of implementing projects to support the energy transition and improving the well-being of citizens. Methods: The aim of this study is to identify success factors using the example of CECOs in north western Germany through a two-step process. The first step is a literature review to identify success factors of CECOs. Second, 12 semi-structured expert interviews with managers of CECOs are conducted and evaluated by means of a qualitative content analysis. The interviews identified the success factors and barriers of CECOs. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The coding process was carried out using a qualitative data analysis software (ATLAS.ti 8.4.5,). Results: The results show that three factors particular should be present, but can influence each other, to lead to successful CECOs: (1) the CECOs require business models with low complexity, as business models that span different stages of the value chain can overwhelm organizational managers. (2) Committed key individuals must be found and promoted. They need the support of the members. (3) Social and ecological principles are the core values of CECOs. The maintenance and strengthening of social–ecological credibility must be promoted in the public perception. Conclusions: The results show that CECOs emerge from a strong social cohesion in a society. In addition, local "key individuals" need to be identified and supported. To this end, the framework conditions (e.g., policy, legislation, municipal support, etc.) must be adapted in such a way that these "key individuals" in CECOs are not overburdened. The analysis of the interviews also revealed that political or regulatory barriers are often cited as obstacles to the implementation of community energy projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Many power plants in Germany and Europe are approaching the end of their technical lifetime. Moreover, the increasing wind and solar power generation reduces the operation times of thermal power plants, making future investments in new generation capacity uncertain under current market conditions. Consequently, the future development of security of power supply is unclear. In this paper, we assess the impact of stochastic fluctuations in power plant availability, renewable generation, and grid load on the future security of supply in Germany. We model variations in power plant availability by application of a combined Mean‐reversion Jump‐diffusion approach. On the basis of that and using Monte‐Carlo methods, we simulate 300 different time series of availability. These profiles are fed into the fundamental power system model REMix, applied to evaluate the appearance of supply shortfalls in hourly resolution. We assess 6 scenarios for the year 2025, differing in renewable generation and demand profiles, as well as grid infrastructure. Geographical focus of the analysis is Germany, but the electricity exchange with its European neighbours is modelled as well. Our results show that the choice of the power plant availability profile can change the loss of load expectation and loss of load hours by up to 50%. However, the influence of load and renewable generation profiles is found to be significantly higher. Assuming that no new conventional power plants are built and existing plants are decommissioned at the end of their empirical lifetime, we identify supply gaps of up to 2.7 GW in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increased working from home has imposed new challenges on public service employees, while also granting opportunities for job crafting. Grounding on the Job Demands-Resources model and Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources theory this exploratory research aims to investigate the work-nonwork balance of employees one and a half years after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the research focus lies on employees' job crafting strategies to optimize their working from home experience concerning boundary management and energy resource management. Methods: Twelve semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with public service employees from different sectors in Germany. The experiences were content analyzed using the software MaxQDA and inductive and deductive categories were derived. Results: Boundary management comprised different strategies such as communicative (e.g., negotiating work time), physical (e.g., going to the garden), temporal (e.g., logging off in between the work day) and behavioral (e.g., prioritizing tasks) strategies. The job crafting strategies regarding energy management included preventing exhaustion (e.g. taking breaks), healthy cooking and energy management in case of sickness (e.g. deciding on sick leave). Conclusions: This qualitative case study enriches research on job crafting by offering insights on boundary tactics and energy resources management strategies for remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results point out different starting points for employees and decision makers, how a work-nonwork balance, energy management and thus employees' wellbeing may be increased when working from home in the future. Trial registration: The study design and methodology were approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Cologne and the study was prospectively registered (Ref No. 21-1417_1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of climate change and the energy transition that the German federal government is aiming for, all renewable energy potentials need to be tapped. Unfortunately, small wind turbines play a niche role in Germany and most other countries despite the fact, that although they offer advantages as e.g. almost seasonal independent energy production in close proximity to the consumer on the same low-voltage grid level. One reason beside the lower wind speeds that can be expected closer to the ground is, that in comparison to PV (photovoltaic), for which good yield forecasts can be made using global radiation measurements from nearby weather stations or online databases, the yield of small wind turbines, especially in urban areas, can only be forecasted using on-site measurements due to the influence of the surrounding buildings and topography. This method is time-consuming and costly. To address this, within this work a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation based visualization framework for the investigation of the small wind turbine potential is presented. In this specific case the energy supply company EnBW is planning to refurbish the "Neuer Stöckach" urban quarter on the former "Stöckach" company site. As part of the redevelopment, a comprehensive energy concept is planned to integrate renewable energies. In this context the integration of small wind turbines into the energy concept is examined according to this new methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to passenger vehicles, battery-electric trucks and buses could offer substantial flexibility to the energy system. Using a Bass diffusion model, we extrapolated the unidirectional charging needs and availability of trucks in five of eleven typical applications, as well as city buses, for Germany until 2040. Combined, these heavy-duty vehicles could provide up to 23 GW of down-regulating flexibility potential (i.e., in case of excess power supply) in 2040. The resulting revenues could contribute to reducing electricity costs for depot operators. These results illustrate the need to provide easy and automated market access to heavy-duty vehicle fleets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transition in the electricity market is required to manage the volatility of increasing renewable energy generation. These fluctuations can be faced with flexible consumption through Demand Side Management (DSM), establishment of further centralized storage capacities and provisioning of dynamic back up generation capacities. At least the latter two options can impose large establishment and operation costs upon the electricity market. Therefore, the feasibility and the resulting potential of coupling the electricity grid with the thermal supply of residential buildings is analysed in this paper. Thereby, inexpensive and widespread thermal storage capacities could be used to improve the integration of dynamic renewable electricity generation. In this paper the technical and economical key impact factors for such thermal DSM approach are elaborated. Based on a literature review, the identified key factors are aggregated to form consistent scenarios of the German “Energiewende” (turnaround in energy policy). The practicability and possible magnitude of the intended DSM is then analysed based on the identified scenarios. All resulting scenarios highlight the growing demand for a flexible electricity market. Especially in scenarios with strong growth of renewable electricity generation, up to 45 GW of flexible electric capacities would be required in Germany by the year 2030. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that independently of the energy market development, it is very likely that electricity coupled supply systems will continuously have installed capacities of at least 14 GW. It is found that especially the strong dissemination of smart metering and smart control infrastructure is crucial to incorporate these capacities into DSM activities. Furthermore, the necessity and the resulting benefits of residential end-user participation in the electricity market need to be communicated to all stakeholders to ensure the availability and acceptance of dynamic pricing schemes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As most other industrialized countries, Germany experienced three major changes in its energy mix in the last two centuries, namely the respective transitions to coal, oil, and nuclear power. This paper discusses the reasons and consequences of these changes with respect to energy consumption, energy prices, and growth. One major finding is that each energy transition led to a devaluation of traditional locational advantages such as the existence of local sources of water power or coal beds. Another important observation is that most of the energy transitions were accompanied by significant government subsidies aiming at either promoting new energy sources or reducing the social hardship associated with the decline of traditional power industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decentralized feed-ins from distributed energy resources (DER) represent a significant change in the manner in which the power grid is used. If this leads to high loads on electrical equipment, its aging can be accelerated. This applies in particular with regard to the thermal aging of older generations of power cables, namely paper insulated lead covered (PILC) cables. This type of power cable can still be found frequently in medium voltage (MV) networks. If aging of these cables is significantly accelerated in the presence of DER, distribution system operators (DSO) could face unplanned premature cable failures and a high replacement demand and costs. Therefore, this paper investigates the thermal aging of PILC cables in a MV distribution network benchmark for different load scenarios, using standardized load profiles and representative expansion scenarios for wind power and photovoltaics plants in particularly affected network areas in Germany. A main objective of this paper is to present a methodology for estimating the thermal degradation of PILC cables. An approach is used to draw simplified conclusions from the loading of cables to their conductor or insulation temperature. For this purpose, mainly Joule losses are considered. In addition, thermal time constants are used for the heating and cooling processes. Based on the insulation temperature, thermal aging is determined using the Arrhenius law or the Montsinger rule. However, it is important to note that there is an urgent need for research on reference data in this area. For this reason, the results of the lifetime estimation presented in this paper should only be considered as an approximation if the selected reference data from the literature for the aging model are actually applicable. The lifetime assessment is performed for a highly utilized line segment of the network benchmark. Accordingly, extreme values are examined. Different operational control strategies of DSO to limit cable utilization are investigated. The results show that the expansion of DER can lead to a short but high cable utilization, although the average utilization does not increase or increases only slightly. This can lead to significantly lower cable lifetimes. The possible influence of these temporarily high loads is shown by comparing the resulting cable lifetime with previous situations without DER. It is also shown that DSO could already reduce excessive aging of PILC cables by preventing overloads in a few hours of a year. In addition to these specific results, general findings on the network load due to the influence of DER are obtained, which are of interest for congestion management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing the share of renewable energies in electricity and heat generation is the cornerstone of a climate-friendly energy transition. However, as renewable technologies rely on diverse natural resources, the design of decarbonized energy systems inevitably leads to environmental trade-offs. This paper presents the case study of a comprehensive impact assessment for different future development scenarios of a decentralized renewable energy system in Germany. It applies an adapted ecological scarcity method (ESM) that improves decision-support by ranking the investigated scenarios and revealing their main environmental shortcomings: increased mineral resource use and pollutant emissions due to required technical infrastructure and a substantial increase in land use due to biomass combustion. Concerning the case study, the paper suggests extending the set of considered options, e.g., towards including imported wind energy. More generally, the findings underline the need for a comprehensive environmental assessment of renewable energy systems that integrate electricity supply with heating, cooling, and mobility. On a methodical level, the ESM turns out to be a transparent and well adaptable method to analyze environmental trade-offs from renewable energy supply. It currently suffers from missing quantitative targets that are democratically sufficiently legitimized. At the same time, it can provide a sound basis for an informed discussion on such targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources (RES) can play a significant role in economic growth. This article examines the development of the wind energy market in the EU. The applicable regulations, directives, and legal acts are reviewed, and the State's role in the development of the renewable energy market is discussed. The analyses were carried out based on the available literature and Eurostat data. The authors of the paper used basic statistics to summarize the changes in wind energy and make a prognosis. The data analysis uses the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Method (ARIMA). The survey found that the highest average wind cumulative installed capacities were in Germany (31026 MW), Spain (18602 MW), United Kingdom (7894 MW) and France (6108 MW). Our analysis indicates that the biggest average annual installed wind capacity was in Germany (2952.6 MW), Spain (1224.5 MW) and the United Kingdom (1363.8 MW). These same countries achieved the highest average wind gross electricity production in the years 2004–17: Germany (50.9 TWh), Spain (39.3 TWh) and United Kingdom (18.9 TWh). The study finds that wind cumulative installed capacity will increase in most countries of the EU. • The European Union onshore wind energy market seems to be stable. • Wind power plays an important role as a source of energy supply. • The most important wind gross electricity producers in the EU are: Germany and Spain. • The highest increase of wind cumulative installed capacity in 2022 will be in Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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With the introduction of its energy concept in 2010, the German government set ambitious targets for the country's energy and climate policy. According to this concept, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will have to be reduced by 80% by 2050, as compared to 1990 levels, and renewables will have to supply 80% of all electricity needs by the same year. Additionally, Germany has decided to phase out its nuclear energy by 2022. This study investigates the possible components to achieve these targets. The analysis is based on an hourly simulation model EnergyPlan. Three scenarios are developed to investigate the potential development of the German energy supply system until 2050. The results indicate renewable shares of 92% and 81% for scenarios B and A, respectively, by 2050 compared to 69% in the reference scenario. The proposed renewable energy system is even found to involve lower costs than today's energy system (i.e. total annual cost for scenario B is € 260 bn compared to € 293 bn in the reference scenario). The results show that a massive decarbonization of the German energy system until 2050 seems technically and economically feasible, if smart grid costs are disregarded and if this sustainable energy transformation is accompanied by political and genuine public willingness to actually achieve the set goals and take the necessary steps. • In this paper low carbon technologies are used to estimate the CO 2 mitigation potential in Germany. • The EnergyPlan model has been used in this work. • Three scenarios are developed by considering different policies for Germany. • The result shows 90% CO 2 emission reduction and 92% renewable generation possible in B scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature fuel cells are one of the devices currently investigated for an integration into distributed power supply grids. Such distributed grids aim at the simultaneous production of thermal energy and electricity. To maximize the efficiency of fuel cell systems, it is reasonable to track the point of maximum electric power production and to operate the system in close vicinity to this point. However, variations of gas mass flows, especially the concentration of hydrogen contained in the anode gas, as well as variations of the internal temperature distribution in the fuel cell stack module lead to the fact that the maximum power point changes in dependence of the aforementioned phenomena. Therefore, this paper first proposes a real-time capable stochastic filter approach for the local identification of the electric power characteristic of the fuel cell. Second, based on this estimate, a maximum power point tracking procedure is derived. It is based on an iteration procedure under consideration of the estimation accuracy of the stochastic filter and adjusts the fuel cell's electric current so that optimal operating points are guaranteed. Numerical simulations, based on real measured data gathered at a test rig available at the Chair of Mechatronics at the University of Rostock, Germany, conclude this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of Germany's chosen path towards the energy transition, the regulatory framework has changed considerably. New players have succeeded in entering the market, and renewable energies have become increasingly competitive. Greater electrification of the transport and heating sectors will be needed in the future to achieve national climate targets. Against this background, Germany's big energy companies need to be sure that their sales will increase. However, they were unable to anticipate this development, and made strategic mistakes in the past. The development of sustainable business models in line with the energy transition failed to materialize. Now it is becoming increasingly clear that companies must create new business models to survive in the long term. These business models have to keep with the tradition, whilst meeting the needs of low-carbon power supplies. In this paper, we will examine the past and future challenges of the four energy companies and develop a proposal for evaluating sustainable business models. For this purpose, we use the multi-level perspective to categorize developments in the electricity market over the last 50 years, and then apply a multi-criteria analysis to derive five suitable business models from the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy sources, encompassing wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal options, are assuming an increasingly crucial role in the global energy landscape. They present a sustainable substitute for fossil fuels, effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions and significantly contributing to the ongoing efforts against climate change. The widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies has undergone rapid expansion on a global scale, propelled by governmental policies, technological advancements, and decreasing costs. Despite their numerous advantages, renewable energy sources encounter challenges such as intermittent energy supply, storage solutions, and integration into existing power grids. Nevertheless, with sustained investment and innovation, renewable energy sources have the potential to become the predominant energy source of the future. This article conducts a bibliometric analysis of research on renewable energy sources in Poland and Germany. The analysis is grounded in publications catalogued in the Web of Science database, spanning the years from 1990 to 2023. The investigation delves into research topics related to renewable energy sources and scrutinizes the most frequently cited publications authored by individuals from these two countries. This bibliometric analysis stands out through its unique value proposition compared to other similar studies by placing a distinctive emphasis on critical research gaps, such as energy storage, smart grid technologies, and renewable energy in transportation. Additionally, the study's focus on the specific trajectories of Poland and Germany in renewable energy adoption, coupled with the identification of key institutions with the highest centrality index, provides unparalleled insights into the evolving landscape of sustainable energy research. The findings from this study can serve as a valuable source of information for policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders interested in promoting the advancement and utilization of renewable energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Earth's population of seven billion consume varying amounts of planetary resources with varying impacts on the environment. We combine the analytical tools offered by the socio-ecological metabolism and class theory and contribute to a novel social stratification theory to identify the differences in individual resource and energy use. This approach is applied to German society, we use per capita greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) as a proxy for resource and energy use and investigate socio-metabolic characteristics of individuals from an economic, social and cultural perspective. The results show large disparities and inequalities in emission patterns in the German society. For example, the GHG in the lowest and highest emission groups can differ by a magnitude of ten. Income, education, age, gender and regional differences (Eastern vs. Western Germany) result in distinct emission profiles. We question the focus on individual behavioral changes and consumption choices to reduce carbon emissions instead of structural changes through political decisions. We argue that emission differences are directly linked to the effects of inequalities and class differences in capitalist societies. Our research results show that natural resource and energy consumption are important for explaining social differentiation in modern societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: With a high penetration of intermittent energy sources in Europe, the relevance of the balancing mechanisms increases, as these sources may require additional balancing actions and increase network congestions. Germany has experienced a significant penetration of intermittent energy sources and network congestions. This paper analyses the functioning of the German balancing mechanisms, with a special focus on the interplay between imbalance pricing and network congestions. We demonstrate the existence of adverse price signals caused by a flawed design of imbalance pricing in relation to network congestions. This paper proposes alternatives options for imbalance pricing that can improve price signals even in the situation of network congestion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recently, the German Federal Government made the consequential decision to change its energy program. This not only as a result of the decision to shut down the existing nuclear power plants within the next few years, but also due to vital challenges like climate change and security of energy supply. The shift in the energy-technology paradigm from fossil fuel technologies to regenerative energies might appear as a merely technical process at first glance. Yet, the road to environmental sustainability is paved with economic and social stumbling blocks. The concept of sustainable development is not a blueprint for technical progress but requires deliberations on questions about innovations and governance: How do we want to live and how do we want to get there? This paper traces the negotiations of sustainable innovation on the example of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in Germany. The institutional set up in this field is analyzed and the new organizational actors are identified. These actors attempt to inform and persuade others of the benefits of hydrogen and fuel cells in order to establish a common view that is to guide the further development. However, while they succeeded in mobilizing enough actors to launch the largest Public Private Partnership in this sector in the EU, they could not attain the leadership in the public discourse on these technologies. It seems that an attractive guiding vision of a sustainable, post-fossil energy future and a broad acceptance in daily use would have been major prerequisites for such leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multi-modal energy system planning approach to support political decision makers. • Energy sector coupling enables efficient transition pathway to achieve climate goals. • Main drivers: electrification of heat and mobility sectors and use of synthetic fuels. • High impact of the electricity exchange on the operation and costs of the system. In order to reach the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a stepwise reduction of energy related greenhouse gas emissions as well as an increase in the share of renewable energies is necessary. For a successful realization of these changes in energy supply, an integrated view of multiple energy sectors is necessary. The coupling of different energy sectors is seen as an option to achieve the climate goals in a cost-effective way. In this paper, a methodical approach for multi-modal energy system planning and technology impact evaluation is presented. A key feature of the model is a coupled consideration of the sectors electricity, heat, fuel and mobility. The modeling framework enables system planners to optimally plan future investments in a detailed transition pathway of the energy system of a country, considering politically defined climate goals. Based on these calculations, in-depth analyses of energy markets as well as electrical transmission and distribution grids can be performed using the presented optimization models. Energy demands, conversion and storage technologies in households, the Commerce, Trade and Services (CTS) area and the industry are modeled employing a bottom-up modeling approach. The results for the optimal planning of the German energy system until 2050 show that the combination of an increased share of renewable energies and the direct electrification of heat and mobility sectors together with the use of synthetic fuels are the main drivers to achieve the climate goals in a cost-efficient way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Germany, the first permits have now been issued for the construction of large-scale offshore wind farms in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This paper focuses on perceptions of the local seascape and the role of aesthetic seascape qualities in shaping local attitudes to offshore wind farming. Based on a survey of local residents in the districts of Dithmarschen and North Frisia, it shows that aesthetic seascape perception alone cannot account for local attitudes to offshore wind farming. Three main aspects seem to come together to determine these attitudes: deeply held convictions of the sea as a natural space, deeply held views of the local landscape and linked to this local identity, and also perceptions of renewable energies in combination with attitudes to issues such as climate change and sea level rise. The paper draws some conclusions on the future of the sea as a natural space or energy space. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]