Rising emissions from homes despite reduced energy usage
In an effort to combat climate change, Techem, a leading energy management solutions provider in Germany, has unveiled a comprehensive decarbonization plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the nation's apartments from the current average of 3 tons per apartment to zero by 2045.
The main contributors to these emissions are space heating (1.55 t) and hot water heating (0.37 t). To address this, Techem's plan focuses on several key measures, including energy efficiency improvements, the promotion of electric mobility, the implementation of climate-neutral products and services, and the leveraging of favourable legal frameworks and technological innovation.
Energy efficiency improvements are achieved through the implementation of submetering and heat cost allocation systems. These solutions enable precise measurement and billing based on actual consumption, creating incentives for residents to reduce energy usage and waste.
Techem also recognizes the growing role of electric vehicles (EVs) in achieving climate targets and aims to support charging infrastructure expansion in larger residential complexes. This indirectly contributes to reduced emissions associated with building energy use and residents’ transportation needs.
The company plans to align with climate scenarios to meet the 2-degree target, targeting a reduction of CO2e emissions substantially by 2030 in its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and aiming for net-zero by 2045.
Space heating and hot water heating in multi-family houses in Germany are primarily powered by fossil fuels, accounting for around 90 percent of heat generation. However, the use of district heating has increased compared to 2013, and switching user electricity to green electricity or photovoltaics could save 1.1 tons of CO2.
Switching to partially decarbonized district heating or hybrid heating systems with heat pumps could save another ton of CO2. The share of heating oil has decreased from 16 percent to around 9 percent compared to 2013, while natural gas is the most commonly used energy carrier for heat generation.
Electricity consumption for heat pumps in space heating could be reduced by almost 14%. The emissions level in 2023 is the same as the previous year, but final energy consumption in 2023 decreased by about 9% compared to 2021. High final energy prices have increased by an average of 70% between 2021 and 2023.
Achieving zero tons of CO2 equivalents per usage unit by 2045 requires decarbonizing central electricity generation. Techem intends to leverage evolving legislation and technological advancements to promote energy-efficient solutions in buildings while increasing demand for products and services that reduce the personal environmental footprint.
According to Techem's analysis in 2023, the average greenhouse gas emissions in German apartments are 1.92 tons of CO2 equivalents per apartment for space heating and hot water heating combined. The company's ambitious decarbonization plan presents a promising pathway towards Germany's climate neutrality goals.
[1] Germany's climate neutrality goals refer to the country's commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, as outlined in the Climate Protection Act 2019.
- The energy management solutions provider, Techem, focuses on employing renewable-energy sources in its decarbonization plan to combat climate-change and achieve zero emissions in German apartments by 2045.
- As part of Techem's decarbonization plan, climate-neutral products and services, such as heat pumps and district heating, are introduced to reduce emissions from space heating and hot water heating.
- In order to encourage energy efficiency, Techem plans to implement systems like submetering and heat cost allocation in German apartments, promoting precise measurement and billing of consumption and reducing overall energy waste.
- To finance their decarbonization efforts, Techem aims to leverage favorable legal frameworks and technological innovation in the environmental-science industry to generate the necessary funds and meet their environmental targets.
