Fossil fuels such as lignite and hard coal are harmful to the environment. Germany would like to move to a greener economy and continues to depend on renewable energy as a result of the energy revolution.
Smart technology, in particular, must support people in this transition and make energy production more environmentally friendly.
The problem of climate change
Phase-out of nuclear energy
The production of nuclear and coal-fired energy has a major impact on the surrounding environment. Furthermore, emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants have increased rapidly and climate change is becoming increasingly difficult to stop.
Therefore, Germany has set itself the goal of generating at least 80% of its energy from renewable sources by 2050 and of gradually reducing nuclear energy over the next five years.
In recent years, only 35% of the energy has been obtained from renewable sources, thus making the emergency of the intervention clearer.
Loss of energy
The source of energy that has been used for power plants is fossil fuels. As these are limited raw materials, electricity can only be produced as long as there is a sufficient supply of raw material. At some point, this already quite depleted resource will be consumed completely.
Energy can also be generated based on location alone, and due to the strength of the pipes, a high percentage of the harmful energy produced is eventually lost on its way to homes.
Alternative renewable energies
Using renewable energies, raw materials must be used fully and sustainably. Renewable energy, unlike harmful fossil fuels, has the potential to regenerate. For example, it comes from wind energy and solar energy.
But if the sun is not shining or there is no wind, such unstable energies must be stored and consumption adjusted according to availability.
Image credit: OTT HydroMet
Image credit: OTT HydroMet
Image credit: OTT HydroMet
The exchange
Smart technology
Smart technology is a great way to support the efficient generation of electricity. Several households in Germany are showing great interest in a smart solution for electricity and lighting.
Smart technology will help collect, process, store data and interact with the environment separately. Smart homes and buildings are becoming more and more popular and score points with smart solar panels and wireless charging stations for e-bikes or e-cars.
Since homes use a generous energy storage unit, the energy produced on site could be made available separately by the energy producers. This is why several smart buildings tend to produce more energy than is needed.
The production of electricity
Electricity production needs to be enormously decentralized in the future and this will bring people closer to using renewable energy in their daily life. Furthermore, technology is only considered a human friend if it is developed with ease of use in mind.
Energy revolution in everyday life
Companies that care about sustainability
Several companies have moved away from conventional energy production and are now dependent on renewable energy. OTT HydroMet with its Lufft brand, based in Fellbach, has been developing professional climate and environmental measurement technology for nearly 140 years to improve energy supply and make it greener.
High-tech devices
Smart measurement devices such as ultrasonic wind sensors help collect data and process it efficiently. This is crucial for the development of wind farms. In addition, solar monitoring is taken into account: among other things, solar radiation could be quantified with the help of Lufft weather sensors which have been equipped with pyranometers from Kipp & Zonen, another OTT HydroMet brand.
Cooperation
Collaboration between large companies and individuals is essential for the energy revolution to be achieved. Smart technology is always directly associated with digitization and smart home devices, which tend to simplify operation.
Other industries are also making increasing use of this technology, such as the textile industry. This also includes the development of sustainable and smart clothing.
This information was obtained, revised and adapted from the materials provided by OTT HydroMet.
Lufft and Kipp & Zonen are two of OTT HydroMet’s strong brands for professional environmental monitoring. For more information on this source, visit OTT HydroMet.