Online Conference 24 February 2022

From energy efficiency to climate neutrality networks: Implemented best practices and concepts for demand flexibility and climate neutrality in industrial companies

Introduction

The development of flexibility triggers is important for future electricity systems with high shares of renewable energy sources (RES-E) and the target of climate neutrality. These include, in particular, the expansion and flexibilisation of national electricity grids, interconnectors with neighbouring countries, the RES technology mix, sector coupling with the heat and transport sectors, and storage technologies. However, the most important triggers - from an economic point of view and in terms of acceptance issues - are energy efficiency measures combined with demand flexibility to shift peak loads when there is too much or too little RES-E available. Demand flexibility combined with energy efficiency is specifically appropriate for a Chinese electricity system characterised by high RES shares. The instrument of learning networks for energy efficiency is well suited to implement also demand flexibility with the actors of the energy system.

In Germany, energy efficiency networks (usually consisting of 10-15 companies) have shown that they support companies to cooperate in such networks in order to overcome barriers and reduce transaction costs for companies. In Germany, they have been developed with regard to the implementation of energy efficiency measures in companies. It was shown that the networks double energy efficiency improvements. The further development of energy efficiency networks includes aspects to achieve climate neutrality of participating companies as well as sector coupling solutions. Apart from energy efficiency measures and on-site energy savings, additional measures addressing activities outside the scope of the production processes become more important. With regard to sector coupling, demand side management and technological solutions enabling flexibility of electricity and heat demand are relevant. By extending the networks with these topics to participating companies can simultaneously introduce a culture of energy efficiency and demand flexibility, which is necessary to familiarise companies with flexibility options on the electricity markets. This requires changes in the structure of the electricity markets, but also changes in corporate culture. At the same time, new business models for companies and new business opportunities are to be developed. This conference builds on the experiences with such networks, the extension from energy efficiency to climate neutrality, implemented best practices and concepts for demand flexibility and climate neutrality in industrial companies as well as potentials and business models for demand side management in Germany and China.

Concept paper "From Energy Efficiency Network to Climate Neutrality Networks" in the framework of the OPTRES100 project.

Agenda

Speaker Bios