The Energy Situation in the Federal Republic of Germany: Analysis of the Current Situation and Perspectives for a Non-Fossil Energy Supply

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Frank Atzler
  • Julian Türck
  • Ralf Türck
  • Jürgen Krahl

Formulating energy policies at national, European, and global levels is extremely challenging. The move away from fossil fuels is associated with a variety of technological, economic, and social implications, each of which is subject to dynamic changes and societal scrutiny and can hardly be predicted with certainty. Therefore, a fact-based assessment for the path to a sustainable green energy future is sought out in this paper, using the road-based mobility sector of the Federal Republic of Germany as an example. The analysis performed in this paper is built on publicly accessible, reputable sources like DESTATIS and EUROSTAT. In addition, some very simple calculations were made, e.g., on the potential for wind and photovoltaic energy within Germany. Such an analysis needs to start with the overall energy consumption of any one country. A basic assumption of the paper is that the energy system of the future will be based to a large extent on electricity and its storage in chemical energy. It is assumed that, in addition to hydrogen, liquid energy sources will play a significant role due to the simplicity of their logistics and the subsequent implications on cost. Examples of green, electricity-based fuels with great potential are methanol, methane, and ammonia. Additionally, biomass plays an important role, either for direct use as a fuel or as a source of non-fossil carbon. Today, biofuels, i.e., biodiesel and bioethanol, deliver the largest contribution to climate protection in the EU transport sector. The main goal—the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions—often collides with geopolitical circumstances or national political necessities. This includes, for example, the current world market situation and its national impacts caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. The prospect for a green, sustainable, and defossilized energy supply are discussed in this context. The paper concludes that a defossilized world energy supply and trade based on renewable electricity and its derivatives, eHydrogen and refuels, and on biomass, is feasible.

Original languageEnglish
Article number4569
JournalEnergies
Volume16
Issue number12
Number of pages8
ISSN1996-1073
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 07.06.2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.

    Research areas

  • bioFuels, biomass, defossilation, eFuels, energy storage, energy supply, energy transition, energy transport, mobility, regenerative energy
  • Energy research
  • Chemistry

DOI

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. StadtLandschaften: Die neue Hybridität von Stadt und Land
  2. Incorporating anthropogenic effects into trophic ecology
  3. Plural valuation of nature for equity and sustainability
  4. Ecological quality as a coffee quality enhancer. A review
  5. Nachvertragliche grenzüberschreitende Wettbewerbsverbote
  6. Ecosystem services between sustainability and efficiency
  7. Regional variations of organophosphorus flame retardants
  8. Mandatory non-financial reporting in the banking industry
  9. Huertas campesinas: patrimonio familiar y calidad de vida
  10. Informelle Bildungseinrichtungen unternehmerisch managen
  11. A bait-and-switch model of corporate social responsibility
  12. Nachhaltige und demokratische Gestaltung der Energiewende
  13. Impressions from a conference: sustainable land management
  14. Artificial intelligence, systemic risks, and sustainability
  15. Besser, weniger, anders – auf guten Wegen zur Nachhaltigkeit?
  16. A review of fire effects across South American ecosystems
  17. Motive für die Wahl des Studiengangs Wirtschaftspädagogik
  18. Cultural adaptation of internet interventions for refugees
  19. A continental-scale analysis of feral cat diet in Australia
  20. Assessing protected area effectiveness in western Tanzania
  21. Ungleiche Partizipationschancen in heterogenen Lerngruppen
  22. Thinking Inclusive Science Education from two Perspectives
  23. An environmental justice perspective on ecosystem services
  24. Effects of training on employee suggestions and promotions
  25. Geschlechtsspezifische Perspektiven auf das Unternehmertum
  26. Learning from Indigenous Populations and Local Communities
  27. Steuern in der Finanz- und Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung
  28. China’s role in mitigating poverty and inequality in Africa
  29. Tägliche Arbeitszeitmuster und Einkommen von freien Berufen