The Decentralized Energy Revolution : Business Strategies for a New Paradigm

The global energy system stands at the verge of a far-reaching paradigm shift. The established model of centralized supply services will be challenged by new, decentralized technologies, with Germany being an international role model for energy efficiency and renewable energy generation. Decentralized energy supply increases independence from fossil resources, reduces the carbon footprint of a society and enhances local value creation. But many of the technologies deployed are still in their infancy and depend on subsidies. Entrepreneurs, representatives of energy incumbents and new entrants from Germany portray how they have transformed the abstract vision of a low-carbon, decentralized energy system into commercially viable business strategies. They engage in innovation and dissemination networks with municipalities and manufacturers, create new business opportunities using the information and communication layer of the smart grid, and develop an integrated value proposition beyond the narrow maximization of energy sales. Meanwhile, community empowerment stimulates the emotionalization of energy, municipalities turn into island systems and consumers into 'prosumers.' This book provides first-hand insights of how sustainability and economy can be reconciled - and how agents of change successfully develop the blueprint of a decentralized energy future Decentralized energy supply increases independence from fossil resources, reduces the carbon footprint of a society and enhances local value creation. But many of the technologies deployed are still in their infancy and depend on subsidies. Entrepreneurs, representatives of energy incumbents and new entrants from Germany portray how they have transformed the abstract vision of a low-carbon, decentralized energy system into commercially viable business strategies. They engage in innovation and dissemination networks with municipalities and manufacturers, create new business opportunities using the information and communication layer of the smart grid, and develop an integrated value proposition beyond the narrow maximization of energy sales. Meanwhile, community empowerment stimulates the emotionalization of energy, municipalities turn into island systems and consumers into 'prosumers.' This book provides first-hand insights of how sustainability and economy can be reconciled 6 and how agents of change successfully develop the blueprint of a decentralized energy future Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction: Decentralized Energy as a Disruptive Innovation....Pages 1-6 Empowerment Paradigm — The Age of the Prosumer....Pages 7-16 Small Is Beautiful....Pages 17-63 The Rise of Island Systems....Pages 64-86 Smart Management of Electricity and Information....Pages 87-130 Local Storage Solutions....Pages 131-149 Enabling Negawatts....Pages 150-184 Insights from Germany for a Decentralized Energy Future....Pages 185-193 Back Matter....Pages 194-221