Publication - Heating without the hot air: Principles for smart heat electrification
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In its vision for a Green Deal for Europe, the European Commission supports this transition by driving smart sector integration and a “renovation wave” for buildings. While the transformative challenge of clean heating is formidable, it is neither unattainable nor exorbitant. We can act now – and achieve more than we thought along the way.
Whichever low-carbon heat technology decision-makers choose, energy efficiency and electrification will play a fundamental role. Energy efficiency reduces heat demand and thereby the investment required to decarbonise heat. It also enables electrified buildings to serve as a flexible resource and to help low-carbon and zero-carbon heating systems operate at higher performance. By reducing demand for and the costs associated with zero-carbon heating, energy efficiency can also support a more socially equitable heat transformation.
On a power system level, efficient electrification creates flexible heating systems that can be managed to avoid the carbon-intensive peak hours. Combined with storage, it also supports intraseasonal balancing, particularly in colder climates. While hydrogen is currently expected to be a key vector for intraseasonal balancing, analysis finds that we may have more urgent need for this limited resource in other sectors.
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