www.kit.edu

Institut für Industriebetriebslehre und Industrielle Produktion (IIP)
Lehrstuhl für Energiewirtschaft
KIT Campus West, Gebäude 06.33
Hertzstraße 16
76187 Karlsruhe
www.iip.kit.edu
IIP Seminar Winter Semester 2014/2015
Energy autarky and decentralized energy systems:
overarching themes, examples and assessment methods
Dr. Russell McKenna, Dr. Dr. Andrej Pustisek
The German energy transition (Energiewende) requires the integration of large amounts of fluctuating, heterogeneously-spatially-distributed electricity into the energy system. Some characteristics
of renewable energy resources mean that their decentralized exploitation is necessary. In particular, these characteristics are their low energy density (compared to conventional energy carriers),
their highly distributed nature and, for PV and wind, the lack of storage capacities/technologies.
Hence much of the witnessed expansion in PV and wind capacities has taken place decentrally,
either in the countryside as for wind, or in large urban centres in the case of PV. These characteristics of renewables, arguably combined with an intrinsic motivation of the inhabitants towards a
more sustainable lifestyle, has led to discussions about regional energy autarky. This is the idea
that a building/district/region can become more or less independent from its surroundings by meeting much or all of its energy demand with indigenous resources. The general concept is quite easy
to understand but there lurk behind this deceptively simple definition myriad questions, which need
to be answered if the concept is to be usefully employed. This seminar attempts to explore some of
these issues and thereby develop an holistic framework within which to better understand energy
autarky.
Overarching themes
1. Definitions, prerequisites and relevant framework conditions for energy autarky
2. Social, political, environmental arguments for and against energy autarky
3. Technical arguments for (e.g. regional value creation) and against (e.g. economies of scale,
portfolio effects) energy autarky. To what extent is energy autarky an indirect consequence
of renewable energy exploitation?
4. Business models for energy autarky e.g. cooperatives, buying back the local energy infrastructure etc.
Examples
5. A global review of examples in practice: buildings
6. A global review of examples in practice: municipalities and regions
7. A global review of examples in practice: islands
Assessment
8. Assessment methods and indicators for regional energy autarky
9. Quantitative analysis of scale effects on energy autarky
10. Quantitative analysis of portfolio effects on energy autarky
Requirements: Previous experience in lectures and/or seminars in energy economics is desirable
Dates: Kickoff meeting: 22.10.14 1630-1800, Mid-term meeting 03.12.14 1600-1830, Final meeting 04.02.15 1000-1700
Location: Building. 06.33 KIT Campus West, Seminar Room 103
KIT – Universität des Landes Baden-Württemberg und nationales Forschungszentrum in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft
www.kit.edu

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