Energy efficiency

The increase in CO2 prices from 2027 would mean an additional burden for 18.6 million households in Germany. This would be the case even if a so-called "climate money" were to be introduced. This is the result of a study by the IMK of the Hans Böckler Foundation. Among those affected are middle-income owners who own older properties in rural areas. The reason for this is that...

KfW offers subsidies for the installation of climate-friendly heating systems in private residential properties. Interested parties can find out about the requirements and details on the KfW website and register in the customer portal from Thursday, February 1, to apply for funding. From the end of February (probably Tuesday, February 27), owners of single-family homes will be able to apply for...

From 2024, the Building Energy Act (GEG) will require the use of renewable energies for new heating systems, with hydrogen being considered as a possible alternative to natural gas. Despite the compatibility of hydrogen with existing heating technologies and gas networks, there are currently no heating systems that can be operated exclusively with hydrogen. The energy consultancy of the...

The "Energetic Neighborhood Quarter Fliegerhorst Oldenburg" (ENaQ) has won the ODH-Quartier Award 2023 in the "Integration" category. The project, led by the Oldenburg information technology institute OFFIS, has been recognized for its progressive energy concept in the Helleheide residential district.ENaQ is characterized by modern technologies such as PV systems, heat pumps and electrical and...

From 2024, changes in the area of energy saving will come into force. The energy advice service of the consumer advice center points this out. One major change is the amendment to the Building Energy Act (GEG). From January 1, 2024, new buildings in new development areas must install heating systems that use at least 65% renewable energy. For existing buildings outside of...

Properties with high energy efficiency will achieve up to 33 percent higher market prices in 2023 compared to properties with low efficiency. This applies to both new builds and energy-efficient refurbished homes. These are the findings of a study conducted by ImmobilienScout24 on behalf of the German Energy Efficient Building Envelope Association (BuVEG). The average value advantage of...

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE and their industrial partners have made progress in the development of photovoltaic power converters in the "PV-MoVe" project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). The aim of the project was to use innovative technologies to reduce the size, weight and cost of PV power converters...

The "Silgentas" research project, led by legal IT specialist Frederik Möllers from Saarland University, focuses on improving IT security in residential areas with smart home systems. These systems offer considerable advantages. For example, they can increase comfort and energy efficiency by adjusting the heating and lighting settings to suit the...

The use of heat pumps to heat water in new and existing buildings is becoming increasingly important. They represent a sustainable solution that uses renewable energies. The domestic hot water or hot water heat pump, a form of hybrid heating, can be particularly useful in existing buildings. The energy advice service of the consumer advice center points this out. For...

"We can generate three to four kilowatt hours of usable heat from one kilowatt hour of electricity - the efficiency of heat pumps is enormous," says Prof. Dr. Michael Schaub from Coburg University of Applied Sciences. In addition to reducing CO2 emissions, heat pumps could also help to reduce the load on the electricity grids. Studies predict that between 60 and 80 percent of heat will be generated by heat pumps in the future.