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Achieving national targets on renewable energy poses several challenges, especially in multi-level governance environments. Incentives and specifications on wind energy development might cause uneven progress or even discrepancies. Therefore, governments have commenced adopting 'positive planning' to combine energy targets with spatial and land-use planning. Yet detailed discussions regarding wind energy development remain scarce. In this paper, I explore three explanatory case studies in Germany and Sweden, aiming to provide policymakers and planners with essential knowledge while presenting significant challenges and key lessons learned. Positive planning appears to center on a strong energy target focus, limited space, and a balanced approach, shaped by the sociopolitical context. While Germany has recently embraced positive planning, Sweden started ambitiously but is encountering planning and policy challenges. Planning agencies play a vital role in promoting wind energy targets at mid-scale levels, yet legally binding targets matter. Striking a balance between energy targets and addressing land-use concerns without disregarding them requires managing a delicate trade-off. Early communication and inter-agency collaboration, as seen in Sweden, might facilitate identifying compromises, navigating trade-offs between species protection and renewable energy and offering municipal incentives. Nonetheless, negotiating satisfactory spatial trade-offs for a long-term proof of concept remains a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of renewable energy infrastructure comes with increasing conflicts at local level that significantly impede the expansion of renewable energy in Germany and impact the realization of national and international climate goals. In some conflicts, rural communities are torn apart and social relations strained beyond the energy conflict. Other projects are realized with no or only minor disruption. To researchers, project developers and local politicians alike, it seems unpredictable as to which way local energy conflicts evolve. Thus, the paper aims to shed light on conflict dynamics and identifies a number of aspects that influence local energy conflicts. The paper applies a conflict theoretical perspective on local energy conflicts. Rather than identifying energy conflicts as a sign of dysfunctionality, conflicts are seen as an important element of a democratic society struggling to find the best way through the transformation towards decarbonization. Based on qualitative research on local energy conflicts in five German municipalities the paper analyzes aspects that encourage constructive conflicts and aspects that impede such developments. With reference to Dahrendorf's conditions of conflict the categories of energy conflicts are systematized within an analytical framework according to conditions of organization, conflict and change. These categories and aspects are embedded in specific local conditions, making conflicts on the one hand typical and on the other very specific. They are also entry points for dealing constructively with the conflicts. [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]

With the rapid development of novel energy vehicles, power generation, photovoltaics, and other industries, power electronic devices have gained considerable attention. Insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) have been widely used in those fields. With the emergence of intelligent manufacturing concepts such as Germany's "Industry 4.0" and China's "Made in China 2025", conventional manufacturing which needs to be upgraded with higher efficiency and yield is rapidly pivoting toward digitalization and intelligence. The digital twin methodology has been extensively used in various industries for constructing virtual models of physical entities, facilitating real-time data interconnection to reduce costs and improve efficiency. This study proposes a modular intelligent IGBT production line based on the digital twin. Real-time data are transmitted from a physical line to a digital line for storage and analysis. The digital line is visualized, and an intelligent management platform containing multiple functions is developed. Additionally, a process simulation database is established to obtain the optimal process parameters. Numerous quality issues that can arise during each process of IGBT packaging are addressed using a problem-solving approach based on the digital twin methodology. Consequently, this digital-twin-based IGBT intelligent production line effectively enhances yield rates and efficiency. IGBT modules with various packaging forms such as ACF, ACE, and ACD are manufactured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

Background: In recent years, landscapes in many countries have been transformed by efforts to fight global warming, specifically the shift towards renewable energies such as wind power. This development has been met by growing opposition from local citizens and their initiatives. There is an ongoing debate about whether and how such protests have a real impact on the development of energy landscapes. Methods: Drawing on the rare case of a state government scaling back ambitious targets for the expansion of renewables, the authors were able to analyse the impact of protests in the context of regional spatial planning and, particularly, state policy-making on energy. Conceptually drawing on the Advocacy Coalition Framework and using the method of causal-process tracing, the qualitative study investigates related interactions and decision-making processes in the federal state of Saxony, Germany, between 2011—when targets were increased—and 2013—when targets were scaled back. Results: The findings show that the protests grew significantly when the raised expansion targets for renewables were translated into a higher number of potential wind farm sites. The protests, which primarily referred to landscapes, were well-organised and creative. Activists worked through a range of channels across various contexts and several levels of the politico-administrative system, in particular approaching regional spatial planners and a wide range of politicians. In the end, the protests (along with other factors) significantly contributed to the readjustment by the Saxon coalition government of its energy and climate policy and thus to a slowdown of energy-related landscape change. Conclusions: The study confirms that the influence of protesters can greatly exceed the previously studied participation in the planning of sites and the approval process for individual wind farms. Also highlighting other relevant co-influential factors, the paper contributes to the development of a middle-range theory of the impact of local opposition to wind power in the context of energy landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of the article is to analyze the reduction of PV generation in Germany and Poland and possible ways to solve it. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis was conducted using available secondary data and literature. The study's time scope is from Q1 2013 to Q1 2024. Findings: The answer to the challenges is the continuous modernization of the power grid towards smart grids. A necessary element is increasing the flexibility of the power system through the development of energy storage and new grid services. Research limitations/implications: Limitations apply to the Polish and German markets. Practical implications: Based on the analysis of the Polish and German markets, the authors proposed possible scenarios for the development of PV networks and possible actions aimed at continuous modernization of the power grid towards smart grids by conducting programs to support the development of national network infrastructure. Social implications: Reducing the negative impact on the environment and identifying opportunities to build smart grids. Originality/value: Few studies have examined the effects of integrating RES into power grids. The research gap detailed the analysis of grid deactivation cases in Poland and Germany. The two markets were compared due to their geographical proximity and their significant differences. [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]

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]

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]

The impairment of landscapes is a concern constantly raised against wind energy developments in Germany as in other countries. Often, landscapes or landscape types are treated in the literature as essentialist or at least as uncontested categories. We analyse two examples of local controversies about wind energy, in which "landscape" is employed by supporters and opponents alike, from a poststructuralist and discourse theoretical angle. The aim is to identify and compare landscape constructs produced in the micro discourses of wind energy objectors and proponents at local level (a) within each case, (b) between the two cases and (c) with landscape constructs that were previously found in macro discourses. One major finding is that several different landscapes can exist at one and the same place. Furthermore there seems to be a relatively stable set of competing landscape concepts which is reproduced in specific controversies. The paper concludes by highlighting practical consequences and by identifying promising avenues of further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Facilitated by the environmental goals set by the government, wind turbines will be one of the main pillars of the future electricity production in Germany. In this paper, a comprehensive assessment of the future metallic raw material requirements for the development of the German wind energy sector was conducted, which is closely based on the current and future market conditions. Copper and dysprosium are identified as the most critical materials since they face the possibility of supply bottlenecks while being fundamental to the functionality of wind turbines. While the cumulative demand for copper may require 0.2% of the current known reserves, the demand for dysprosium may reach up to 0.6% of the reserve levels. Both metals clearly exceed the allocations for renewable energy technologies in Germany and would face strong competition from other sectors in securing raw materials. Although recycling is able to reduce the bottleneck risks, it does not completely mitigate them. More efforts are therefore required to improve material efficiency by means of alternative turbine designs, efficient production techniques, highly reliable components and material substitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With its strong ties to the European Union, Germany is well-positioned to assist many countries achieve sustainability goals. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to examine how renewable energy intensity and renewable energy share improve environmental sustainability, the load capacity factor (LCF) in Germany from 1970 to 2018. To this end, the study uses the autoregressive distributed lag model, with the effects of the Kyoto Protocol included as a dummy variable. The study contributes to the literature by considering and testing for the first time the impact of renewables on the LCF in terms of intensity and share for Germany. The empirical results show that (i) economic growth lowers the LCF faster in the early stages of economic development than in later periods; therefore, the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis is valid in Germany. (ii) A 1% upsurge in renewable energy intensity has no statistically significant effect on the LCF, while a 1% rise in the share of renewables in the total energy mix increases LCF by 0.48%. (iii) A 1% rise in urbanization reduces the LCF by 6.52%. (iv) A 1% augment in human capital enhances the LCF by 3.49%. These outcomes suggest that the German government should use human capital development and increasing the share of renewable energy as policy instruments to achieve the sustainable development goals. [Display omitted] • The EKC hypothesis is valid for Germany. • Renewable energy intensity has no influence on the load capacity factor. • A higher renewable share in the energy mix is associated with an improvement in LCF. • Human capital plays a key role in solving environmental challenges. • The urbanization process has a devastating effect on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical industry is one of the key industrial sectors in Germany and at the same time one of the largest consumers of energy and raw materials. A successful energy transition and the development of a circular economy can only succeed if they are actively supported and shaped by the chemical industry – through the redesign of existing production processes and the exploration and implementation of new process routes. The challenge is to realize this transformation within a very short time and for many production processes, whereby a much larger number of process routes must be explored. Digital technologies are key to master this transformation towards more sustainability, climate, and environmental protection. The KEEN project aims to explore and leverage artificial intelligence (AI) opportunities in process industry. The newly developed AI methods are tested wherever possible in real working environments and production plants to prove the economic benefit, applicability, and reliability of the methods and technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate changes necessitate measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The European Union's climate and energy policy places particular emphasis on the development of renewable energy, considered to be the primary mean in achieving the climate neutrality goal by 2050. Having in mind the aforementioned, the study was conducted to determine time delay in the development of renewable energy sources between the Visegrad Group (V4) countries and Germany, considered the most advanced country in developing renewable energy and having the greatest impact on shaping European Union climate and energy policy. The time delay econometric method was used in four of its variants. The research results show that, despite the existence of support mechanisms, the development of renewable energy sources (RES) in the V4 countries has a high mutual correlation. There is a hight correlation between RES penetration in energy mix and UE goals of the climate and energy policy until 2020. At the same time, the available data from the analysed period 2004–2019 indicate growing time delay between the reference facility—Germany and the surveyed group. The paper identifies the primary factors behind the identified time delay and proposes research areas that could direct the future research of those aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen energy in general and renewable energy communities (RECs) in particular are becoming key vehicles for decentralisation, but also for the democratisation of the energy system. These initiatives are now more diverse than ever and are likely to continue to act as incubators for significant projects in the transition to a renewable energy system. Beside the legal, regulatory, and financial challenges, there are several socio-economic and regulatory barriers that hinder the implementation of community energy projects. For this reason, policy learning and the dissemination of good/best practices that are transferable also to other contexts are important. This is an aspect that has not yet attracted much investigation, and only a few studies have explored the importance of transfer activities for the implementation of REC initiatives and their motives. This article aimed to address this knowledge gap by focussing on the transfer processes of best practices initiated in a particular region and discusses how these can be adapted and transferred to other contexts. We analysed the transfer case of a community renewable energy initiative, the multifunctional energy gardens, from the Netherlands to the German federal State of Thuringia, and extracted lessons with an overall validity for the transferability of drivers and success factors. We show how examples from other contexts with similar enabling conditions can represent significant foundations on which to build an effective strategy and what framework conditions are necessary to enhance the uptake of pervasive community energy initiatives in regions with low community energy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study assesses the relationship between technology innovation and renewable energy in the G10 countries. According to the findings, technology innovation has a significant impact on renewable energy in various countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, and the USA. It argues that technological innovation is one of the most important elements in renewable energy in these countries because of their strong innovative base and huge spending on research and development. However, the results for the remaining countries show no causation from technology innovation to renewable energy, implying that variables other than technology innovation drive renewable energy development. On the other hand, renewable energy does Granger cause technology innovation in Germany, the Netherlands, and the USA. These countries need to invest in implementation instead of spending on the existing infrastructure. Furthermore, the increased dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear energy may leave renewables undeveloped, with less emphasis on renewable-technology diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current development of clean energy in Taiwan is in the embryonic stage. Even though in recent times Taiwan’s development of renewable energy has emphasized wind power and photovoltaic power, current statistics show they supply only a small portion of total national power needs, and that wind power and solar power are still in development. In order to promote the growth of clean energy, it is necessary to compare the support mechanisms of developing clean energy in different countries. The success of implementing clear energy in Germany is often followed by other countries, including Taiwan. Thus, this paper explores the German experience of implementing a Feed-in Tariff (hereafter FIT) and compared it with the FIT system in Taiwan to illustrate the differences and similarities between these countries. The results could be used as a reference for the future modification of the FIT system in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meeting the energy goals of the European Union requires new ways of managing energy. Decentralized energy management, cross-commodity energy production and usage optimization are promising means. Future neighbourhoods will include multiple forms of energy such as electricity, heat, and cooling. According to our vision, the smart neighbourhoods, can optimize energy across different vectors by sharing resources in a controlled way. The first contribution of this paper is a comprehensive review on market, regulatory and technological status to support the transition towards distributed cross-commodity energy management with focus on Germany and Finland. Markets disruption could lead to more decentralized structures. Mechanisms therefore have been proposed, but mostly without sector integration. Clean Energy Package includes legislation that is supportive towards cross-commodity energy sharing solutions. Corresponding implementation in Germany and Finland may be successful in both countries even though it differs. Regarding technology, the article identifies required technical components (IoT, AI and blockchain) focusing on their support decentralized and cross-sector energy systems. Key components of IoT are wireless communication and interoperability middleware. AI provides key technologies for modelling and optimization of sector-integrated and distributed energy systems. Even if there has been lots of research, practical implementations are still lacking. Furthermore, many technical challenges still exist for blockchain based solutions in decentralized energy systems. Moreover, organizational, and legal responsibilities need to be clarified to support the adoption of blockchains in decentralized energy systems. Finally, the article gives recommendations regarding an increasing implementation of cross-commodity sharing and how it can contribute to the energy transition. • Giving an overview of cross-commodity energy sharing in Finland and Germany. • It is shown how recent energy market development support energy transition. • Comparing the regulatory framework for smart components in energy markets. • Combination of IoT, AI and Blockchain to enable decentralized energy markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) judgment in the so-called Ostsee-Pipeline-Anbindungsleitung (OPAL) case on 15 July 2021 dismissed Germany's appeal on the previous European Union (EU) General Court's decision, which focused on the need for considering national interests of EU Member States and the interests of the Union itself in the decisions by the EU institutions in energy sector to acknowledge the solidarity principle provided in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This decision found a significant interest among academicians and legal practitioners and raised numerous discussions, since it is still not clear what are the exact criteria on application of this principle, especially in relation to such ambiguous energy notions as 'security of supply'. The presence of the geopolitical context and direct impact of the decision on the volumes of Russian gas transported via the Nord Stream pipeline also makes this case extremely complex and raises some additional questions regarding the impact on external gas supply to the EU. Moreover, the statement of the Advocate General on the applicability of the solidarity principle to all the other objectives of EU energy policy (not limiting to the scope of security of gas supply), which was also supported by the Court, brings many additional aspects to be considered with regards to the impact of the OPAL case on EU energy sector. Therefore, this case note article undertakes a critical analysis of the recent ECJ judgment and Advocate General's opinion to identify some gaps that are still not clarified and to estimate the possible outcomes of the judgment on the future of EU energy sector development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The energy transition in Germany is characterized by a rapid growth of renewable energy and infrastructure. In order to reduce the impact of humans on the climate system, a more ambitious development of renewable energies is needed. In addition, nature and natural resources must be protected. At the same time, the increasing use of renewable energies leads to impacts on nature conservation aspects, in particular on landscapes, species, and habitats. Therefore, renewable energy systems also affect the protection of biodiversity. Conflicting objectives between the need for renewable energies and their impact on nature and landscape have to be considered equally and as early as possible. Methods: The article follows an interdisciplinary approach that combines an administrative with a research perspective. First, the energy transition as a national transformation process and challenges due to the expansion of renewable energies with regard to nature conservation and landscape management are presented. The analysis of existing literature identifies key factors for a sustainable energy transition such as land availability, landscapes, and impacts on species and habitats. Examining the most affected nature conservation aspects from an administrative perspective, we highlight selected research projects, derive future research demand, and discuss possible approaches to enhance the integration of nature conservation into the energy transition. Results: In addition to the need for climate protection efforts, the energy transition further has to preserve biological diversity, as well as characteristic features and the beauty of nature and landscape. Numerous energy transition stakeholders face the challenge of integrating nature conservation and landscape management requirements into research projects, strategic planning, and approval procedures. Based on the dynamic development of renewable energies in Germany and the objectives of nature conservation, we describe key challenges and identify future research demands from an administrative and scientific point of view. Current research projects, the impacts of renewable energy generation, and existing approaches to minimize negative effects on nature and landscape are taken into account. Conclusions: We conclude that nature conservation aspects in general (biodiversity and landscape) have to be better integrated in the energy transition. Therefore, research, technology development and preference, civil participation, a critical discussion, and academic debate are essential elements for a nature-compatible expansion of renewable energies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review article aims to provide an overview and insight into the most relevant aspects of wind energy development and current state-of-the-art. The industry is in a very mature stage, so it seems to be the right time to take stock of the relevant areas of wind energy use for power generation. For this review, the authors considered the essential aspects of the development of wind energy technology: research, modeling, and prediction of wind speed as an energy source, the technology development of the plants divided into the mechanical and electrical systems and the plant control, and finally the optimal plant operation including the maintenance strategies. The focus is on the development in Europe, with a partial focus on Germany. The authors are employees of the Fraunhofer Institutes, Institute for Energy Economics and Energy Systems Technology and Institute for Wind Energy Systems, who have contributed to the development of this technology for decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A characterizing feature of the German electricity transition is that it started as a movement arising from the civil society. Initially the movement was directed against nuclear energy and later on turned into a movement favouring decentralized forms of energy production and distribution as well as local control over energy issues. Once these demands found official recognition and regulatory support, a dynamic development ensued in which a host of new actors with new ideas and strategies became involved in the field of electricity generation. Regions, cities and villages experimenting with socio-technical innovations and aiming to implement new concepts developed governance structures under high uncertainty. These governance structures mirror space-specific social, political, technological and economic constellations. Once the old incumbent actors in the field began to falter, both government and electricity providers started to stem the tide of decentralized initiatives, whose dynamic in fact has recently been seriously weakened. In order to help us better understand these developments in a more generic context, the political-cultural theory of strategic action fields as developed by Neil Fligstein and Doug McAdam will be applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under Article 16(2) of the current Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC renewable energy shall be granted guaranteed transmission and distribution, priority or guaranteed access to the grid and priority dispatch. In the discussions about the progress in the development of renewable energy, the integration into the market and the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, the relevance of those rules in a future world with direct marketing of renewable energy has been questioned: Arguments have beenmade that in such a world, such 'support measures' would no longer be necessary and even give renewable energy producers unjustified advantages. It is the purpose of this contribution to explain why in particular the 'priority dispatch' as set out in the Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC will remain very important for renewable energy producers in direct marketing. To that end, it will first be looked at the meaning of the three concepts 'transmission and distribution', 'access' and 'dispatch', in order to get a clear understanding of the obligations they create. Thereafter, a closer look will be taken at the implementation of those rules, taking the example of Germany. With these insights, it will become clear that priority dispatch, when understood in the terms of the Renewable Energy Directive, is not be confused with any purchase obligation or support scheme, and remains highly important for renewable energy even in times of direct marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The German energy transition makes it necessary to increase flexibility in the electricity system. Different forms of power storage may play a part in this, yet there is competition with other options on the production or demand side. In the short term, the further expansion of electricity generation from fluctuating renewables will be possible in Germany without additional power storage facilities. In the longer term, however, storage requirements will depend strongly on specific circumstances and are therefore difficult to predict. A model-based analysis shows that requirements for power storage rise sharply when the share of renewable energies is very high, particularly if other potential sources of flexibility are less developed. If options such as flexible generation of electricity from biomass, the enhancement of demand-side flexibility, or cross-border contributions to integrating renewable energies develop less favorably than is frequently assumed today, then additional electricity storage facilities will be required and economically beneficial in the long term. For this reason, supporting the development of power storage will be a useful component of a policy designed to safeguard the energy transition for the future. Policy-makers should aim for technological progress and cost reduction in power storage, primarily by means of continued and broad-based support for research and development. At the same time, policy should enable a level playing field for competition among the flexibility options in the various areas of application, for example on the control reserve market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community energy is seen as a helping hand for local, decentralized energy transition. Besides the main goal of supporting the community-friendly and socially acceptable development of renewable energies, the hope is also that a pro-environmental influence on sustainability behavior will be triggered when joining a community energy project. An analysis of a survey among 16 community energy projects in Germany, with 565 completed questionnaires, shows that a certain part of the members pays more attention to their energy behavior and develop a more positive attitude towards a decentralized energy transition and citizen participation after joining the community energy project. Therefore, we can empirically support that climate protection projects, such as community energy, influence pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, but this does not apply equally to all population groups. Members with higher income and stronger interest in returns are less likely to change their behavior. Based on these findings, we recommend the development of community energy policies that are more responsive to differences in social structure and address both privileged and underprivileged groups in a sophisticated way using specific offers and modes of involvement within the associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]