SIEMENS

This is unbelievable! Andy is standing on the visitors’ platform of the municipal Energy Transition Museum. He’s pressing his nose against the panorama window and enjoying the fabulous view of the city where his grandfather grew up. “Look at this!” he calls out in delight to his wife Jennifer. “In front of us we can see the entire history of the energy transition over the past 40 years. The abandonment of nuclear energy, an 80 percent proportion of renewable energies in the electricity mix, and 80 percent reduction in greenhouse emissions. But the result doesn’t look as futuristic as I had expected.” Andy’s gaze sweeps across the city and suddenly stops. “I don’t believe it!” he exclaims. “That building down there with the two little towers must be my grandfather’s school. I recognize it from his photographs.”

“Please don’t press your nose against the glass,” grumbles a voice behind them suddenly. “That gets spots on the multimedia window.” Andy and Jennifer turn around in surprise. Standing in front of them is a small robot whose appearance reminds Andy of old science fiction classics. “Who are you?” Jennifer asks the tiny tin man. “Who am I, and why is there only one of me? That’s a good question,” he answers. “My name is Energon, and my job is to answer the questions of the visitors on this platform. If it’s okay with you, please ask only questions about the energy transition.”

“This pile of tin has got some nerve,” Andy thinks, and decides to test the tiny metal man immediately. “Down below us we see the old school my grandfather used to go to,” he says. “According to the stories he used to tell, this school was heated with a smelly oil furnace that was almost impossible to regulate. In spite of the furnace, the school was always cold. After all, its insulation was poor and there was so little fresh air that the windows had to be kept open all the time.” “State your question, please,” Energon reminds him, rolling his glowing blue eyes. Andy continues his story: “We’re told that as a result of the energy transition, buildings in Germany were made as energy-efficient as possible. But that certainly hasn’t happened to this school, because it looks just the way it did many decades ago. I’m not making a mistake here, am I?”

Energon smiles at this. “Thank you for asking this question,” he says. “But before I give you an answer, show me the building you mean.” Andy points to the building far below. A second later he rears back in amazement. Just at the point where he had pressed his nose against the glass, the facade of the school has suddenly appeared at eye level. Energon emits a tinny giggle. “That’s the latest installation we have here. Thanks to gesture and gaze recognition, the multimedia window registers which building a visitor is pointing to. And here you can see all of the energy-relevant information about this building.”

Jennifer points to the display and asks, “This is probably a comparison of the old school’s status before and after the modernization process, isn’t it?” Energon blinks his eyes appreciatively and continues his lecture. “As you can see, the problems have been solved. Today all of the city’s public buildings and almost all of its private buildings are practically energy-independent, thanks to photovoltaic modules, transparent solar film windows, heat pumps, combined heat and power units, and — of course — very good insulation. An energy management system ensures that only as much energy as necessary is used. Rooms are equipped with occupancy sensors. These are used to power down or switch off systems in building areas that are not occupied, depending on their use profiles. Sensors also ensure that each room has a comfortable atmosphere in terms of temperature, lighting, fresh air and so on. Outside, rainwater is collected and transformed into drinking water by means of membrane filters. All of the systems taken together result in maximum efficiency without any sacrifice of comfort.”

“And the architecture has hardly changed at all, as far as I can see,” says Andy in surprise. Jennifer is enthusiastic. “Let’s do the same thing at home,” she says. “I think we’re still using more resources than we need to!”

But Andy has another question for the clever little robot: “How did they manage to get 80 percent of the energy for these buildings from renewable sources?”

“Does every visitor have to ask the same question?” Energon groans. Nonetheless, he’s a professional museum guide, so he continues his narrative. “The challenge was primarily to maintain a balance between supply and demand in the electricity grid, in spite of fluctuations of wind and solar power. It’s like a puzzle — the necessary measures have to fit together perfectly. Prices fluctuate in line with supply and demand. You also have to be able to influence demand. In addition, you need storage units and smart network agents that market the electricity offered by thousands of small producers and adjust the amounts available to the needs of consumers. The whole process takes place in real time through an internet-based electricity exchange.”

“What happens when producers generate more electricity than people need?” Jennifer asks. “Finally, an expert question!” Energon exclaims. “In that case, the price drops and electric vehicles start recharging, cooling units start up, pumps start to run, electricity storage units offer storage room and so on. Dedicated lanes for electric vehicles have been set up on the city’s beltway, on truck routes, and on major highways. Trucks on such roads can use the pantographs on their roofs to operate in electric mode and thus save even more energy. If all this is not enough, electrolysis transforms excess electricity into hydrogen gas — an excellent energy-storage agent. We can store this hydrogen in the natural gas network and use it for heating, convert it once again to electricity in gas turbines, or use it in fuel-cell vehicles.”

“Wow, — all these measures really do fit together like a puzzle,” Andy says. “Planners have created an outstanding sustainable energy system, helped to combat climate change, and conserved resources. In view of today’s oil prices, that’s a very good move.” “Well, we can’t do entirely without oil,” Energon points out.” We may not burn it any more, but many plastics are still being made from petroleum. And as for me...” Here he makes a dramatic pause and grins in a way that’s almost human before adding, “My joints often need some lubricating oil, what with the crowds of visitors this museum attracts!”