Building Blocks for an Energy Transition

Abstract

The present need for an energy transition in the wake of a global climate catastrophe led to the “EU green deal” which requires a transition of the energy system in all countries. This study aimis survey aims to identify strategies within such an energy transition based on global trend analyses and reports on available technologies for implementation. Based on a literature analysis of over 300 pieces (of feasibility studies and technology implementation reports with a focus on Central Europe) and a statistical analysis of the levels of “energy intensity” (E/GDP) covering three decades and all countries worldwide, the diagnosis is made that steady improvements in several dedicated technological focus areas can be made and were made and could still be increased in the future, as required by climate targets. Across several distinct fields of energy economy, the concrete options for such improvements are portrayed: Energy infrastructure, Smart grids, Transmission grid management, Electricity storage, Heat storage, and Industrial waste heat; and linked with the diagnosed long-term trends emerging from the “Global Change Data Base” GCDB, allowing for a sectorial analysis of the so-called energy intensity, which was not yet delivered until now as time series in the literature. The main findings show which economic sectors and clusters of technologies can be most appropriate to achieve climate targets while safeguarding social aspects of sustainability.