Title: Season 2 Special Episode - Realising Energy Systems Integration's Potential

Content: Grids Hub Series Episode

Date: 3 November 2020

Overview: The Net Zero targets in Europe necessitate a rapid and sustained reduction in emissions from all sectors of the economy, including sectors which are currently highly dependent on fossil fuels – such as heating, transport and industry. Energy Systems Integration, also referred to as ‘sector coupling’, is likely to play an increasingly important role in tackling these emissions – by linking clean energy sources and optimising end uses of energy to minimise emissions and costs to consumers. 

The power sector is expected to grow substantially to 2050 due to the widespread electrification of heating, transportation and industry – with the significant flexibility from electric vehicle charging, hybrid heating appliances and demand response helping to integrate variable renewables. Hydrogen is emerging as a clean energy vector, with growing policy and investor focus. Heat/cooling networks and energy from waste are more established, but offer significant potential for wider adoption, while biogas has been recently highlighted by the European Commission as a significant low-carbon energy.

Listen to a panel of experts discussing these opportunities and the challenges of delivering investable business models in practice.