Energy Systems
Driving insights on large scales
The value of individual technologies depends on the energy system they are part of. Energy systems evolve rapidly. HZB's Energy Systems Analysis and Design workstream develops consistent scenarios for future energy systems. Our goal is to identify solutions that contribute to an economically efficient, ecologically responsible and politically sustainable energy system. It is required to meet current and future energy needs, while minimizing environmental impacts. By combining knowledge from HZB's diverse research areas, we can evaluate and optimize system performance. This ensures our contribution to a sustainable and resilient energy future.
Life Cycle and Sustainability Assessment
To ensure that new technologies truly contribute to CO₂ emission reductions, it is crucial to assess their environmental impact and sustainability within the specific energy systems they are used. Our Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and sustainability evaluations provide strategic guidance for research and technology development, ensuring that innovations align with climate and environmental goals. Through comprehensive analysis, we support the development of low-carbon solutions that drive the energy transition forward.
We assess solar photovoltaic technologies by evaluating CO₂-equivalent emissions and other environmental impacts, as well as technoeconomic indicators like the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) to determine efficiency and lifetime thresholds for market competitiveness. For chemical energy carriers, we use LCA to identify sustainable production pathways, which also consider emerging energy storage and conversion technologies. Our current activities include sustainability assessment for the production and consumption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and green liquid fuel gas (gLFG), a renewable cooking fuel equivalent to fossil-based liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). We evaluate multiple energy supply scenarios and production locations to maximise environmental sustainability.
Modelling
Energy system models provide a versatile and replicable method for assessing the impact of policy choices in complex systems. We have developed a state-of-the-art PyPSA (Python for Power System Analysis) model of Ukraine’s power system, with the flexibility to include neighbouring countries and the wider EU. Our work focuses on designing and testing methods for integrating energy storage, flexibility solutions, and decentralised grid structures to ensure system stability. This science-based tool enables us to evaluate the efficiency and feasibility of various post-fossil energy solutions within a broader regional framework.
Policy Advice
Policy choices strongly drive the development of future energy systems. Informed debates can help to prevent mistakes and allow more efficient and resilient choices. Based on expertise in economics, political science, and technology, we contribute with a thorough yet results-oriented analysis to this debate. We use empirical methods to identify and diagnose existing shortcomings, modelling and forecasting tools to characterise promising pathways, and theoretical approaches and simulation tools to propose sensible solutions.
Project: Green Deal Ukraїna (GDU)
The project, initiated and coordinated by Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), aims to establish an independent energy and climate think tank in Kyiv to empower Ukrainian governmental institutions, policymakers, and society to make informed energy and climate policy decisions ahead of the EU membership. The project is a trilateral collaboration between Germany (HZB), Ukraine (DiXi group, Ecoaction) and Poland (Forum Energii).
GDU supports Ukraine across three missions: (1) sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine’s energy system, (2) successful accession to the European Union, and (3) decarbonisation of Ukraine’s energy system. GDU’s three main work directions are data and modelling, policy analysis, and capacity-building programs.