Unser Energiedilemma – Gedanken und Bestandsaufnahme Our Energy Dilemma – Thoughts and Inventory

Abstract

The transition of the energy supply system is extremely complex, involves a variety of energy conversion paths from energy sources to the application of usable forms of energy, and represents an extreme challenge with its possible combinations of energy sources and energy converters and their coupling. The complexity increases when secondary energy sources can also be used as starting materials and their conversion in the chemical industry, and the short time window for the transition from fossil energy sources to renewable energy sources considerably restricts courses of action. This results in predominantly contradictory approaches, great uncertainty in society, and discussions that are often not very effective. This paper, which results from a symposium on the subject, held by the Saxon Academy of Sciences in Leipzig, provides an insight into the origin of energy, conversion technologies, and, by way of example, the high complexity of electrical supply networks, shows how society can be educated and poses the question of whether the tried and tested model of exchanging working time for money can be retained or whether the important issue of energy should be taken into account in a future model.