Das Ziel der Energiewende - ein sicheres, umweltvertragliches und okonomisch erfolgreiches Energiesystem - birgt diverse Herausforderungen. Diese umfassen die Erreichung der Klimaneutralitat, den Umstieg auf erneuerbare Energietrager in allen Sektoren (inkl. Schwerlast- und Flugverkehr sowie industrielle Prozesswarme) als auch deren gegenseitige Integration. Bioenergie kann hierzu einen multiplen Beitrag leisten, sowie negative Emissionen bereitstellen und daruber hinaus auch Beitrage jenseits des Energiesystems erbringen, wie Naturschutz, landliche Entwicklung, oder die Bereitstellung von biogenem CO2 als Rohstoff fur die chemische Industrie. Somit ist Bioenergie ein unverzichtbarer Bestandteil fur die Losung der Herausforderungen in der Transformation zu einem nachhaltigen Energiesystem. Gegenwartig stellt Bioenergie mit dem grosten Anteil an erneuerbaren Energien im Primarenergieverbrauch (60 %) als auch im Endenergieverbrauch (53 %), mehr als alle anderen erneuerbaren Energietrager zusammen. Dabei bestehen Unterschiede zwischen den Endenergiesektoren: wahrend Bioenergie in der Bruttostromerzeugung 24 % des erneuerbaren Stroms deckt, dominiert sie die erneuerbare Bereitstellung von Warme mit 86 % als auch den erneuerbaren Endenergieverbrauch im Verkehrssektor mit 88 % in 2018. Aufgrund der Bedeutung von Bioenergie heute werden Beispiele vorgestellt, welche einen zukunftigen multipleren Systembeitrag von Bioenergie fokussieren.

Background The Paris Climate Agreement requires a rapid and efficient shift to renewable energies and a decarbonization of the energy system. Combined heat and power provision from biomass is one way to efficiently provide renewable heat. Despite this, many bioenergy plants in Germany are mainly used to generate electricity and the provision of externally usable heat still has untapped potential. In this study, we investigated gross quantities as well as the economically viable potential of Germany’s current bioenergy plant stock in supplying renewable heat. Methods We used a top-down GIS modeling approach to spatially and explicitly assess the heat demand of three different categories of heat sinks at sub-municipal level. These included residential, commercial, and industrial areas, as well as large individual heat consumers. We then calculated the plant-specific heat sales potential for two different district heating network options. In addition, we developed a method for assessing the economic efficiency of the previously identified technical heat sales volume for a set of 20 different clusters of bioenergy plants. Results The results show that about 50% of the bioenergy plants have potential heat consumers in their immediate proximity. The overall technical heat sales potential for all three categories totals around 150 TWh th /a. However, this potential is not evenly distributed throughout Germany. Certain regions appear to be more favorable for investing in district heating networks powered by heat from biomass. The economically viable heat sales potential related to electrical energy generation ranges from − 0.128 to 0.160 €/kWh th . Conclusion We concluded that, under certain conditions such as location or supply and demand structure, German bioenergy plants have the potential to provide a significant share to renewable energies in the heating sector. In addition, the heat sales potential is highly relevant for plant operators as the importance of heat as a business segment is set to increase. Furthermore, bioenergy plants could contribute 2.1% (16.3 TWh th /a) to the total demand for space heating in Germany (765 TWh th /a) when considering certain technical and economic constraints.

Background The German energy transition has entered a new phase and one important aspect is the question, to what degree the gas sector could be supplied with so-called “green” gases, i.e., gases from renewable sources. This paper focuses on the potential of domestic methane from biological origin (bio-CH 4 ) until 2030 that is estimated with two different methods. The comparison of the results provides a consolidated estimate. Methods In a bottom-up approach, a GIS-based cluster analysis was undertaken to estimate the potential on bio-CH 4 from the existing cogeneration biogas plant (BP) stock. In a top-down approach a meta-analysis of GHG-reduction scenarios with respect to bio-CH 4 was performed. The meta-analysis was also extended to methane from renewable electricity (e-CH 4 ) since the BP stock may play a role in the provision of CO 2 . Further, it included the year 2050 (the target year for most scenario studies) as well as issues like energy imports. Results The bottom-up approach yields a potential of 24.9 TWh of bio-CH 4 for 2030. This is well within the range of the top-down analysis of 11–54 TWh (average: 32.5 TWh) for that year. In some scenarios values for e-CH 4 where considerably higher, especially with respect to 2050, but in these studies the sources—including the CO 2 sources—are either not explained at all or they are due to imports of e-CH 4 in combination with direct air capture (DAC) rather than biogenic sources. Concerning the regional dispersion, the bottom-up analysis shows that the largest potentials (53% or 905 of the biogas plants) are located in the northern part of Germany, more particular in Lower-Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. These represent 54% or 602 MW of the installed capacity of the clusters. Conclusion The consistency of the outcomes of the two methodologically very different approaches may be called the main result of this research. Therefore, it provides a consolidated analysis of the potential for domestic supply of bio-CH 4 in 2030. Furthermore, the amount corresponds to 2.7–3.5% of the German natural gas consumption in 2018. Taken bio-CH 4 and e-CH 4 together it corresponds to 7.2–8.0%.

Der schnell fortschreitende Digitalisierungs- und Automatisierungsprozess ist heute schon ein wichtiger Wegbegleiter fur die Transformation des aktuellen Energiesystems. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden sechs Anwendungsbeispiele vorgestellt, die deutlich machen, dass die Energiewende ohne Digitalisierung nicht denkbar ist.