Innovation in action

Accelerating a ‘sea change’ through sector coupling

Forging a net-zero future through collaborative innovation, from fossil fuels to renewable resources

The evidence is irrefutable. We’re not on track to meet Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) targets. The alarming consequences include shrinking glaciers, vanishing coastlines, and natural catastrophes, to name a few. We’re missing the mark on another front as well: approximately 850 million people, more than 10 percent of the global population, lack access to power.

There is still hope, however.

We can beat this, if we act quickly and in concert, through innovation. That’s where we come in. Our capabilities span the new energy value chain, from carbon-cutting technologies for oil & gas and power applications, to wind and hydrogen solutions.

 

With an annual R&D spend of approximately 1 billion EUR, we’re leading by example and collaborating closely with strategic partners across the energy ecosystem to make tomorrow different today, through

Honestly, we can’t do this alone

Synergy for Energy: Sector Coupling

A promising example of collaborative innovation to combat climate change is sector coupling.

Applied to mobility, a renewable energy source (typically wind or solar) powers the electrolysis of water to produce green hydrogen, which is subsequently converted to an e-fuel (e.g., e-gasoline, e-methanol, e-kerosene), enabling net-neutral transportation. With sector coupling, geography no longer poses an obstacle to renewables. Wind and solar energy can be harnessed virtually anywhere—including atmospherically advantageous, albeit remote locations—as an emissions-free fuel or feedstock.

 

Sector coupling has a range of applications outside of mobility, including agriculture, petrochemical processes, heating and cooling, and steel production. For an overview of applications and Siemens Energy project examples, see interactive graphic below. 

E-fuels: Net-neutral transportation

Renewable energy (e.g., wind or solar) can be harnessed to produce green hydrogen through the electrolysis of water. In turn, green hydrogen can be converted into e-fuels to enable net-neutral transportation, including marine, aviation and trucking. 

Chemical processes: Replacing ‘grey’ with green H₂

Grey H₂—produced from natural gas—is used as an input throughout the petrochemical industry. Replacing it with green H₂ reduces emissions. 

Gas Turbines: Using green H₂ as fuel (including blended)

Modern turbines can operate on a variety of fuels. Even blending small amounts of green H₂ with natural gas can reduce emissions associated with power generation significantly. 

E-fertilizer: Net-neutral agricultural production

As the global population continues to grow rapidly, so does its demand for food, and fertilizers. Produced primarily from fossil fuels, today’s fertilizers emit high amounts of CO₂. Through the synthesis of e-fertilizer and e-ammonia from green hydrogen and nitrogen, we can decarbonize agricultural production. 

Heating and cooling

District heating / cooling:  Replacing fossil fuels with green H₂

Waste Heat: Decarbonizing heating with heat pumps

 

Sector coupling can be used to decarbonize heating and cooling in two ways: substituting green H₂ for fossil fuels, and harnessing heat pumps

Industrial processes: Replacing fossil fuels with green H₂

Green H₂ can replace fossil fuels in various industrial processes to reduce emissions. One example is the substitution of green H₂ for coke or coal to generate high-temperature process heat in steel production

Forging a net-zero future through collaborative innovation.

Video

The new ‘power couples’, shaping the future of energy

See video to learn more about the role of collaborative innovation in decarbonizing the marine industry
Focus

Fields of Innovation

From fueling hydrogen production with solar power in the Middle East to decarbonizing offshore drilling rigs in the North Sea, we’ve got you covered.

To learn more, click on the icons below. 

Advanced ship propulsion systems for lowest CO₂ emissions

The propulsion system holds the biggest influence not only on performance, security, and cost-effectiveness - but also on greenhouse gas emissions of a ship. Advanced ship propulsion systems greatly reduce fuel consumption, and therefore CO₂ emissions and  operating cost.

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BlueVault™ Energy Storage Solutions

BlueVault™ is an advanced lithium-ion battery-based solution, suited for both all-electric and hybrid energy-storage applications. The battery is designed to maximize life, performance and safety. BlueVault™ can be installed in newbuild as well as retrofit diesel-electric power plants and in all type vessels, drilling or FPSO.

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A city with almost 100% CO₂-neutral power supply

In Wunsiedel, Siemens Energy builds on of Germany’s biggest hydrogen plants with an annual production capacity of 1,350 t of green hydrogen – the equivalent of 13,500 t CO₂ not being emitted into the atmosphere.

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A starting point into CO₂-neutral shipping in large scale

Siemens Energy will implement an electrolyzer plant nearbly the solar park of Kassø, Denmark. The hydrogen will be used for cost-effective e-fuel production securing the e-methanol supply for Maersk’s first e-methanol driven container vessel.

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Trailblazer project in Oberhausen

An electrolyzer plant will be integrated in the existing local hydrogen and oxygen pipeline structure of Air Liquide in Germany. 

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Climate-friendly heating supply for Berlin

Vattenfall and Siemens Energy are building a novel high-temperature industrial heat pump that will supply Berlins district heating system with net-zero heat. This is a pioneering project on the way to decarbonizing heat.

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Clima-neutral power supply for Leipzig, Germany

A cutting-edge gas-fired power plant will make Leipzig independent from lignite-fired district heating generation. The long-term goal is to operate the facility with 100% hydrogen.

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Increased efficiency and reliability of power supply for Dubai

A powerful multi-site application provides DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) with a highly reliable and available energy management system.

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Enhancing grid reliability and network stability

Grid resilience means resuming normal power grid operations, anytime and anywhere. Learn how to balance grid fluctuations from renewable energy sources.

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Good to know

For more information on sector coupling, see below resources.

White papers

Unlocking European Energy Security

Green hydrogen is also important for Europe’s long-term energy security. Greater energy security will require significantly more wind or solar power plants to produce the green hydrogen needed.