Synergies in the integration of energy net-works for electricity, gas, heating and cooling

Transformation of the energy sector to efficiency and climate protection The increasing demand for energy services in conjunction with extensive climate protection targets requires significant changes within the European energy sector. Consequently, a continuous transition from conventional and fossil fuelled power generation to low-carbon or even carbonfree generation is expected in the power supply structure of Europe over the coming years. However, the increasing contribution of renewable energy sources (RES), such as wind and solar, are subject to the specific characteristics of these sources, in particular to weather fluctuations as well as forecast errors, which lead to a volatile and intermittent power supply. Furthermore, the growing share of de-centralized electricity generation leads to new grid structures with multidirectional flows of energy. Grid operation is therefore more complex and congestions within the transmission network result. Suitable measures such as flexible generation, energy storage and load management must be found to provide a secure balance between energy demand and supply.