Powering the Future: The Building Sector's Role in the "All Electric Society"

The "All Electric Society" (AES) describes a vision of the future in which renewable and CO₂-neutral electricity becomes the central energy form for all sectors of the economy and everyday life. It represents a logical continuation of the energy transition and aligns closely with the forecasts of numerous energy experts worldwide. The foundationof the AES lies in the smart and digital coupling of various consumption sectors, the use of innovative "Power-to-X" technologies, and the intelligent management of electricity consumption through demand side management. This approach aims for optimal energy distribution and demand-driven energy usage, marking a step toward a CO₂-neutral world.

Supporters view the AES as a desirable target state of the energy transition and discuss it in relation to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 7: "Affordable and Clean Energy". The potential for achieving significant energy savings also holds considerable economic promise. Thus, the concept of the AES could become a global engine for climate-neutral growth, with the building sector playing a central role.

Review and Outlook: The Energy Transition in Germany and the World

According to the Federal Statistical Office, 56 percent of the electricity fed into the grid in Germany in 2023 came from renewable energy sources. The most important energy source for electricity generation in Germany in 2023 was wind power. Given the current legislation, it is expected that this development will continue to accelerate. With the revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) of the federal government, also amended in 2023, it is legally established that renewable energies are of predominant public interest in Germany and the EU.

The accelerated phase-out of fossil fuels align with the global future visions of numerous experts. In the Delphi-study on the future of energy systems in Germany, Europe and the world by the year 2040, over 350 participants from 40 countries developed potential scenarios. The move towards renewables, especially solar, wind, and hydropower, clearly reflects the majority expectations of those involved.

While such studies cannot provide completely accurate forecasts, the efficiency gains from the switch to renewable energies are already foreseeable and, in some cases, have already been realized. The transition to an "All Electric Society," where renewable and CO₂-neutral electricity becomes the central energy form for all sectors of the economy and daily life, is considered a promising approach to achieving this goal.

The "All Electric Society" and "Power-to-X"

A prerequisite for the All Electric Society is the so-called "sector coupling" which refers to the intelligent interconnection of industry, energy, buildings, mobility, and infrastructure. By digitally and communicatively linking these sectors, it is possible to view all energy-consuming and energy-generating areas holistically and to manage the energy supply based on demand. Sustainably generated energy can thus be utilized in an automated and efficient manner. This is achieved by storing and transporting energy, such as from wind power. Using "Power-to-X" technologies, electrical energy is converted through electrolysis into high-energy liquids and gases, such as hydrogen or methanol. These act as CO₂-neutral intermediate storage units and are transported onwards as needed. The transported energy can then be utilized, for example, in the mobility sector, for heating buildings, or in industry.

The AES is no longer just a mere vision. There are already practical projects that create this target state on a smaller scale and vividly demonstrate its potential. The aim is to extend the insights gained from these districts to entire smart cities. A pioneering example of this is the "All Electric Society Park" by Phoenix Contact in Blomberg, East Westphalia.

From energy generation to conversion, storage, and distribution, and down to optimized usage, the AES Park demonstrates on over 7 800 m² how the future vision of a solely renewable electricity supply can become a reality. Real-world applications illustrate how sector coupling works and the technologies that enable it. With the help of the aedifion cloud platform, the various sectors and their hardware are communicatively interconnected. Standardized communication protocols and open interfaces within the different networks facilitate information exchange free from system boundaries. Predictive control dynamically adjusts the electricity consumption of individual sectors to the grid conditions, ensuring efficient operation of the entire system.

The Role of the Building Sector in the "All Electric Society"

The building sector could experience a significant change in its role within the energy system in the AES. Through demand side management, i.e., the fully automated and grid-interactive control of their own electricity consumption, property owners are already able to respond flexibly to grid loads and profitably market their surplus or self-generated electricity.

Buildings, when automated and integrated with other consumption sectors, have the potential to significantly enhance the energy efficiency of the system, contribute positively to grid stability, and reduce their own energy costs. In this scenario, cloud-based software solutions enable smart connections across areas through an IoT framework and interoperable communication interfaces. This allows energy to be deployed more precisely and made available wherever it is needed. Digitalization and automation, driven by artificial intelligence, are crucial enablers for the building sector, opening up entirely new fields of application to improve energy efficiency and successfully implement the heating transition.

Creating the Right Conditions in the Building Portfolio with the Cloud Platform

Open interfaces and the availability of real-time data are crucial in buildings in order to take an important step towards sector coupling. By using open and freely configurable communication interfaces, data on energy consumption within buildings can be efficiently collected, monitored, and analyzed. This not only enables more precise control but also facilitates seamless data exchange between various technologies and systems across different sectors. Interoperability and transparent data availability, as provided by the aedifion cloud platform, thus form the foundation for intelligent energy management in the All Electric Society and for the transformation towards a climate-neutral economy and society.