Sector coupling – the future of our energy system?

After a steady reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, the level of greenhouse gas emissions in Germany has stagnated in recent years. To reach the ambitious targets of 40% reduction by 2020 and 80 – 95% by 2050 compared to 1990, more ambitious measures are needed. One of these measures can be electrification and sector-coupling. Speakers will discuss if sector coupling has the power to make the energy transition successful, what has been done and what still needs to be done.

Speakers

Andreas Kuhlmann majored in physics and minored in economics at the universities of Bonn, Heidelberg and Corvallis (USA). Among others, the graduate physicist has held positions at the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), the German Embassy in Stockholm and the European Parliament, the German Parliament and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Andreas Kuhlmann was appointed dena’s Chief Executive in July 2015. dena is Germany’s centre of expertise for energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and intelligent energy systems. It supports the implementation of the energy transition in politics, business and society.

Fabian Reetz is the project lead for digital Energiewende at the Berlin-based Think Tank Stiftung Neue Verantwortung. This project strives to shape a political dialogue about radical but urgent changes in our energy system. It specifically examines the potential of newly developed digital technologies like Blockchain, to provide actual alternatives to the current price building mechanisms at the energy exchanges. At Sustainability Drinks, he will talk about the major implications the climate goals of the COP 21 in Paris have, if we want to take them seriously. This would mean not only to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies in the electricity sector, but also the electrification of the heat and mobility sector. Those sectors are very different from electricity and can only be coupled on a regional scale. Consequently the electricity sector as the common link between the different infrastructures will have to adapt dramatically – technically and policy-wise.

You will have the opportunity to give a 1-min quickpitch and tell the audience why they should talk to you tonight. If you are interested, please write an e-mail: info@greenbuzzberlin.de

• Doors open at 19:00
• Speakers start at 20:00
• Quickpitches at 21:10