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topics:sector_coupling [2026/03/19 14:25] – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1topics:sector_coupling [2026/03/19 14:25] (current) – ↷ Page name changed from topics:sector_coupling_-_sector_integration to topics:sector_coupling admin
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 +====== Sector Coupling - Sector Integration ======
  
 +===== Sector coupling - Definition [European Parliament, ITRE 2018] =====
 +
 +"Sector coupling involves the increased integration of energy end-use and supply sectors with one another."
 + 
 +"Sector coupling can contribute to the cost-efficient decarbonisation of the energy system, by valuing synergy potentials and interlinkages between different parts of the energy system. In this study, we distinguish two types of sector coupling: end-use sector coupling and cross-vector integration."
 + 
 + 
 +[Van Nuffel, L., Dedecca, J.G., Smit, T., Rademaekers, K., 2018. Sector coupling: how can it be enhanced in the EU to foster grid stability and decarbonise? (Study Requested by the ITRE committee). European Parliament, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy]
 + 
 +[[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/626091/IPOL_STU(2018)626091_EN.pdf]]
 +
 +
 +===== Sector coupling and its relation to energy system integration [European Parliament, ITRE 2018] =====
 +
 +"Sector coupling is a concept that has been developed in Germany but has been gaining attention elsewhere in Europe.
 + 
 +Originally, sector coupling referred primarily to the electrification of end-use sectors like heating and transport, with the aim of increasing the share of renewable energy in these sectors (on the assumption that the electricity supply is, or can be, largely renewable) and providing balancing services to the power sector.
 + 
 +More recently, the concept of sector coupling has broadened to include supply-side sector coupling.
 + 
 +Supply-side integration focuses on the integration of the power and gas sectors, through technologies such as power-to-gas."
 + 
 +"To distinguish between coupling of end-use sectors with the energy (mainly electricity) supply sector on the one hand and further coupling of the energy (mainly electricity and gas) supply sectors on the other hand, we will refer to these two strategies as
 +1) end-use sector coupling and
 +2) cross-vector integration.
 +This is a pragmatic approach to highlight these complementary strategies, but other categorisations are possible."
 + 
 +{{ :sectorcoupling.png?600 |}}
 +
 +[Van Nuffel, L., Dedecca, J.G., Smit, T., Rademaekers, K., 2018. Sector coupling: how can it be enhanced in the EU to foster grid stability and decarbonise? (Study Requested by the ITRE committee). European Parliament, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy]
 + 
 +[[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/626091/IPOL_STU(2018)626091_EN.pdf]]
 +
 +===== End-use sector coupling and Cross-vector integration [European Parliament, ITRE 2018] =====
 +
 +"**End-use sector coupling** involves the electrification of energy demand while reinforcing the interaction between electricity supply and end-use.
 + 
 +**Cross-vector coupling** involves the integrated use of different energy infrastructures and vectors, in particular electricity, heat and gas, either on the supply side, e.g. through conversion of (surplus) electricity to hydrogen, or at the demand side, e.g. by using residual heat from power generation or industrial processes for district heating."
 + 
 +[Van Nuffel, L., Dedecca, J.G., Smit, T., Rademaekers, K., 2018. Sector coupling: how can it be enhanced in the EU to foster grid stability and decarbonise? (Study Requested by the ITRE committee). European Parliament, Committee on Industry, Research and Energy]
 + 
 +[[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2018/626091/IPOL_STU(2018)626091_EN.pdf]]
 +
 +===== Sector Coupling [wiki.energytransition.org/glossary] =====
 +
 +"Energy is consumed in three sectors:  transportation, industry, and to heat and cool buildings. Connecting these three sectors will be crucial for the energy transition’s success. The term describing this is “sector coupling” (or “Sektorkopplung” in German)."
 + 
 +"**Electrification is one example** of sector coupling. For instance, solar and wind power are the two fastest growing sources of renewable energy worldwide. Eventually, a growing number of countries will begin to have excess amounts of this green electricity when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing. At that point, electricity will be inexpensive on wholesale markets, so it will increasingly be used to generate heat for use in buildings and industry. The German Energy Management Act now incentivizes sector coupling (power-to-heat) in combination with cogeneration units."
 +[[https://wiki.energytransition.org/the-book/technology-for-sustainability/sector-coupling/#:~:text=Electrification%20is%20one%20example%20of,and%20the%20wind%20is%20blowing.]]
 +
 +===== Definition of Sector Coupling and Sector Integration [ENTSO-E 2019] =====
 +
 +"**Sector coupling** is defined by the EC as closely linking the electricity and gas sectors, both in terms of their markets and infrastructure. Therefore, sector coupling is equivalent to **power to gas**.
 + 
 +**Sector integration** is understood by the EC to mean the **usage of final energy** (i.e. electricity or gas) in the end use, which includes, for example, the **transport or heating sector**. Both require ‘hardware’ and an adequate legal and regulatory framework."
 + 
 +[[https://eepublicdownloads.entsoe.eu/clean-documents/Publications/Position%20papers%20and%20reports/Sector_coupling_integration_PositionPaper.pdf]]
 +
 +
 +
 +~~DISCUSSION|Discussion Section - PAGE OWNER: Klaus Kubeczko~~