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The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) is a leading solar research institute with a staff of about 1400. The institute aims to contribute to achieving a sustainable, economic, secure, and socially just energy supply system based on renewable energy sources. A special issue in the journal Energy Technology was published in 2014 to showcase ongoing research at that time, and now, almost 10 years later, the institute highlights recent and ongoing research topics in a new special section. These topics include heat pumps, battery storage, photovoltaics, hydrogen technology, and grid integration. The directors of the institute, Andreas W. Bett and Hans-Martin Henning, provide their expertise in solar energy systems and have made significant contributions to the field. [Extracted from the article]

The energy transformation requires a shift in the energy sector from fossil fuels and their related technologies to carbon free technologies which are mainly renewable energy technologies. In addition to them, three key elements foster the realization of smooth and stringent transformation paths: coal phase out, energy efficiency, and electricity exchange. By applying the techno-economic energy system model REMod-D, the German case is analyzed in this paper with a focus on effects created by emphasizing these three elements in an energy transformation strategy. The analysis covers their impact on the power sector, heating sector, and transport sector which are influenced by the actual shaping of these elements. Overall, the model results show a shift in the German energy system towards a system using more electricity. This electricity is generated up to 85% from photovoltaics, wind power, and other renewable energy sources. Each of the three elements, if employed, leads by itself to a reduction of efforts on the level of developments such as the deployment of renewable energy and renovations, as well as the electrification of vehicles. In the case of combining the three elements, complementary effects can even be summed up. In the Active scenario with a joint use and implementation of the three key elements, this combination is analyzed as part of a cross-sectoral energy strategy for the transformation. Each element can reduce the total system cost by around 16 billion EUR per year. This paper concludes to prioritize these three key elements in the energy strategy in addition to the strong expansion of renewables and the change of heating systems and vehicle concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A clear consensus exists in German society that renewable energy resources have to play a dominant role in the future German energy supply system. However, many questions are still under discussion; for instance the relevance of the different technologies such as photovoltaic systems and wind energy converters installed offshore in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Concerns also exist about the cost of a future energy system mainly based on renewable energy. In the work presented here we tried to answer some of those questions. Guiding questions for this study were: (1) is it possible to meet the German energy demand with 100% renewable energy, considering the available technical potential of the main renewable energy resources? (2) what is the overall annual cost of such an energy system once it has been implemented? (3) what is the best combination of renewable energy converters, storage units, energy converters and energy-saving measures? In order to answer these questions, we carried out many simulation calculations using REMod-D, a model we developed for this purpose. This model is described in Part I of this publication. To date this model covers only part of the energy system, namely the electricity and heat sectors, which correspond to about 62% of Germany's current energy demand. The main findings of our work indicate that it is possible to meet the total electricity and heat demand (space heating, hot water) of the entire building sector with 100% renewable energy within the given technical limits. This is based on the assumption that the heat demand of the building sector is significantly reduced by at least 60% or more compared to today's demand. Another major result of our analysis shows that – once the transformation of the energy system has been completed – supplying electricity and heat only from renewables is no more expensive than the existing energy supply. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A clear consensus exists in the German society that renewable energies have to play a dominant role in the future German energy supply system. However, many questions are still under discussion; for instance the relevance of the different technologies such as photovoltaic systems and wind energy converters installed offshore in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Also concerns exist about the cost of a future energy system mainly based on renewable energies. In order to be able to address the raised issues on a scientifically sound basis we have set up a new simulation model REMod-D (Renewable Energy Model-Deutschland) that models the energy balance of the electricity and heat sector including all renewable energy converters, storage components and loads for a future German energy system for a whole year based on an hourly energy balance. The target energy systems modeled use a high fraction up to 100% of renewable energies to cover the electricity and heat demand (heating and hot water). The model includes also energy retrofit of buildings as a measure to reduce future heat loads of the building sector. A mathematical–numerical optimizer is applied in order to identify system configurations with minimal overall annual cost. In this first part of a two-paper series we describe the methodology of the REMod-D model and discuss cost and performance values of all included components and in the second part we will discuss the results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the annual potential of solar energy far exceeds the world's energy consumption. It talks about using the sun to provide a significant fraction of global electricity demand is far from being realized. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have assessed the recent trajectory of photovoltaics and outlined a potential worldwide pathway to produce a significant portion of the world's electricity from solar power.

• Representation of BEV in a large scale energy system models. • Comparing constant and driving profile-based approach to model BEV energy demand. • Real driving profile-based BEV energy demand increases energy system costs. • FCEVs can substitute BEVs to avoid appearing peaks in power demand. • Energy system costs can be reduced by applying V2G technology. The transition of the motorized private transport sector from fossil fuel to electricity-based technologies is a widely discussed strategy that can contribute towards the achievement of the set climate protection targets. To accurately analyse the challenges and opportunities associated with this transition, the entire energy system needs to be considered in a holistic way. This study introduces two different methodological approaches for the assessment of battery electric vehicles. Both are implemented into the sector coupling, structure optimising model REMod and assessed for a future, nearly CO 2 neutral German energy system. The results show that realistic driving profiles could lead to simultaneous vehicle charging, which result in higher peak loads and eventually require an increase in power plant capacity. The model shows that once vehicles are charged irrespective of the residual load, electricity-demanding technologies throughout all sectors are progressively replaced by hydrogen or other gas-based technologies, as these options do not lead to an increase in electricity demand. This development negatively impacts the deployment of electric heat pumps and battery electric vehicles, which would play a major role otherwise. The cost-optimal system configuration can be achieved through implementation of a controlled charging strategy, shaving power load and supply peaks, integrating more power from variable renewable energy sources and reducing the yearly overall system costs by several billion Euros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]