Responsible for almost 50 % of final energy consumption and 40 % of CO2 emissions, the heating sector will play a key part in the German energy transition. Goals that reflect this have been clearly set out in the coalition contract of the German government.
Major reconstruction work is underway in the heating networks. There are plans to move away from coal, with the long-term goal being complete decarbonisation and the modernisation of the infrastructure. Yet the activities of the 30 largest energy providers vary widely. umlaut used a meta-analysis to examine various energy market scenarios – and by doing so identified four new areas of activity for energy providers:
innovative contracting models for the realisation of renewable and cross-sector energy concepts, a role in shaping plans for municipal heating systems, the scaling up of power-to-heat, and the increased demand for digitalisation expertise.
In the decentralised provision of heat, there is no longer just demand for the supply of electricity and gas, but also for individually tailored, cross-sector energy concepts. Sector coupling and digitalisation are enabling innovative solutions and new business models to be developed in all sectors. In this white paper, a team of experts from umlaut considers the trajectories required to ensure compliance with climate protection legislation and compares them with the current development paths of the 30 largest companies in the heating market.
