New campaign in Germany: CO2-neutral molecules are needed
The current focus on renewable electricity is not enough to make the energy transition a success and achieve the climate targets in Germany and Europe. CO2-neutral molecules are also needed to replace fossil-based products. The German association of fuels and energy en2x has launched an initiative called "Molekülwende".
Molekülwende – the German word stands for molecular turnaround or molecular transition. The path from fossil to renewable molecules. What exactly does that mean? CO₂-neutral hydrogen, sustainable biogenic and synthetic energy sources and CO₂-neutral chemical raw materials must be available on a large scale in the long term. Products currently made from fossil sources, such as crude oil, will become CO2-neutral. The new feedstocks are renewable hydrogen and carbon from biomass, plastic waste and carbon capture.
Why do we need that? Most people think about electricity when hearing about climate change and energy transition. “Electricity currently accounts for just over 20 per cent of final energy consumption in Germany, and the rest is supplied by molecules that are still largely of fossil origin," says en2x CEO Prof. Christian Küchen. The scale of the challenge is still underestimated. Germany wants to phase out coal and nuclear power in the long term, but has relatively little hydropower, so intermittent renewables such as wind and solar are particularly important in the energy transition. However, this also requires the right conditions in terms of grid expansion and storage capacity.
In the long term, hydrocarbons will still be needed for many applications. en2x has summarized what is needed in a comprehensive report on the molecular transition. For example, a reliable and sufficiently high price for fossil CO2 emissions is a prerequisite for paving the way for climate-friendly products to enter the market. In road transport, a long-overdue reform of energy taxation would help. It is also clear that quotas alone are not enough to trigger investment in new technologies such as green hydrogen and its downstream products, such as green aviation fuels.
The aim of the new campaign is to inform people about the need for CO2-neutral molecules. It will not be possible to achieve the climate targets in Germany and the EU with green electricity alone. Next big step is an event in Berlin: The Green Fuels Import Conference in November. For more information click here: https://en2x.de/molekuelwende/green-fuels-import-conference/
There are also new websites: www.molekuelwende.de provides information, policy requirements and positions, and assessments of current regulatory projects. At www.molekuelwende-inside.de you will find a kind of deep dive: background knowledge, expert opinions, innovative projects and recent studies. There are articles on green molecules, their use, production and applications, best practices from en2x members, background stories and podcasts.
29 October 2024
