RE100 in practice – environmentally compatible energy transition

The energy transition is one of the key challenges of the 21st century. Conversion of the energy supply system must, however, be designed to be environmentally and landscape compatible, while taking account of human needs. The strong incentive mechanisms over recent years have led to a very dynamic expansion in renewable energies. In order to achieve a harmonisation of the climate change objectives with those of conserving biodiversity, the interests of nature conservation and landscape management must be fully taken into account.

The project "Environmentally compatible power supply from 100% renewable energies 2050 (EE100)" has shown that the established generation routes and spatial regulatory provisions and participation instruments are insufficient for the challenges of an environmentally compatible energy supply.

Amongst the issues to be resolved are the interests of housing estate design and social fairness and participation, but above all an economic view. The options of state incentives and regulations and their long-term impacts on the countryside and therefore nature and landscape are not well enough understood overall. The importance of sufficiency strategies for nature conservation is also not adequately understood at present.

Methods

The R+D project will be run by an interdisciplinary team of nature conservation and energy experts as well as economists. One research focus is on the quantification of environmentally compatible electricity production "reserves", which have not been adequately taken into account in previous studies. This applies to the energy output potentials of alternative technologies and uncertainties in existing energy scenarios such as in the area of species protection. Likewise, the issue of external factors and costs of a future environmentally compatible energy system needs to be clarified in comparison to other scenarios.

Research is also required on environmentally compatible designs of networks and storage facilities in the energy system. This is closely linked to the question of the dimensioning and distribution of the storage facilities which will be required due to the volatile production of such large proportions of wind and solar energy. The final main research point focuses on communication. Discussions with various target groups will identify conflicts and obstacles to the environmentally compatible expansion of renewable energies, the adaptation of supply technologies and a changed, energy-aware behaviour (sufficiency). A number of specialist disciplines as well as stakeholders from business and society will be involved in this. Finally, nature conservation recommendations for action will be derived, particularly as regards energy savings and prioritising generation, storage and transmission technologies.