The term consumption sectors refers to the various areas in which energy is utilized. In the energy industry these typically include the electricity, heating, and mobility sectors. The goal of a sustainable energy future, as envisioned by the All Electric Society, is to link all consumption sectors within a smart grid and increasingly supply them with electricity from renewable sources, thereby replacing fossil fuels.
As part of sector coupling, the various sectors can be digitally interconnected in order to make optimum use of surplus renewable energy. Technologies like Power-to-X also enable the conversion of generated electricity into other forms of energy. These then serve as CO₂-neutral storage mediums and can be transferred from one sector to another as needed.
Buildings have the potential to significantly enhance the energy efficiency of the system, contribute to grid stability, and reduce their own energy costs through automated coupling with other consumption sectors. In this scenario, cloud platforms facilitate the intelligent linking of sectors via an IoT framework and interoperable communication interfaces, allowing energy to be provided wherever it is currently needed.
