The discussion about an energy supply system that provides energy affordably, reliably, and sustainably continues to be intense. Energy policy is no longer just climate policy or infrastructure policy – it is industrial, security, and location policy. We are also experiencing a shift from a system in which the electricity, heat, and mobility sectors are increasingly merging and electricity is becoming the primary form of energy.
How do we organise an energy system that simultaneously provides energy for electricity, heat, and mobility at a low cost, stably, resiliently, and with technological leadership?
The answer does not lie in a single type of power plant or in an ideological dispute about the historical lesson of the power industry regarding baseload, medium load and peak load. It lies in a holistic system design that utilises the technological possibilities of the 21st century:
- Locally available renewable energies such as electricity from wind, solar, and biomass,
- Flexibilities such as electricity and heat storage, but also controllable loads
- Flexibility in electricity price design and
- Digitalisation down to the low-voltage level with
- Local, resilient energy cells as an organisational principle.
In the long term, such a system can secure favourable and stable energy prices for industry, commerce, and households in Germany, while also safeguarding secure jobs in our country.