Sumit Agarwal, Bert Anders, Stefan Essmann, Ravi Fernandes, Holger Grosshans, Detlev Markus, Kai Moshammer, Solmaz Nadiri, Bo Shu
The Paris Climate Agreement of 2015 specifies a global framework to combat climate change. Global warming is to be kept well below 2 °C; the temperature rise is to be limited to 1.5 °C through further measures. The nearly 190 parties to the Paris Agreement include the EU and its member states. In June 2021, Germany raised its climate targets and adopted binding emissions targets for the years up to 2045 – instead of 2050 as previously planned. To achieve these climate targets, a significant reduction in CO2 emissions is necessary. Much has already been achieved in the energy sector as a result of the decarbonization of power generation through greater expansion of capacities for renewable primary energy sources and the accelerated phase-out of coal-fired power generation. Thus, in contrast to the heat supply, mobility or industry sectors, the energy sector is making a disproportionate contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to date. To achieve this in the other sectors as well, a further increase in the share of renewable primary energy sources and the integration of the sectors are required. For storage and transport of the electrical power generated by energy conversion, various utilization paths within the different sectors are possible, taking advantage of the existing electricity and gas grids. The necessary coupling of the sectors can be achieved by various technologies, whereby the conversion of electrical energy to hydrogen will be of particular importance in the future. On the one hand, surplus primary energy can thus be stored in the medium and long term. Furthermore, hydrogen offers various utilization paths. Hydrogen can be distributed as an admixture via the existing gas infrastructure and stored in salt caverns. The direct use of hydrogen in the industrial sector can help achieve climate targets, particularly in the steel, cement, and chemical industry.