Developing regional energy supply to ensure it is fit for the future

Municipal utilities and regional energy suppliers play a key role in implementing the energy and heating transition. They shape local energy supply, operate critical infrastructure and create the conditions for sustainable value creation in their regions. With the expansion of renewable energies, hydrogen is becoming increasingly important, as it offers the opportunity to complement existing energy systems and develop them further across sectors.

This is because ongoing electrification is placing increasing demands on electricity grids and energy systems. At the same time, generation from wind and solar energy fluctuates depending on weather conditions and the seasons. Hydrogen can address this challenge by converting surplus renewable electricity into a storable energy carrier via electrolysis. This creates a long-term energy option that can be utilised regardless of when it was generated.

Hydrogen is not a substitute for the direct use of electricity from renewable energy sources. Rather, it expands the capabilities of existing systems and increases their flexibility  

Hydrogen thus opens up new business models for municipal utilities and regional energy suppliers, enabling a climate-neutral energy supply. 

Municipal utilities supply energy to business parks and industrial clusters. At the same time, many companies require long-term solutions to decarbonise their production processes. Hydrogen opens up new opportunities for cooperation between energy suppliers and industrial companies in this regard. Local generation and supply structures can help to reduce transport distances, increase security of supply and strengthen regional value creation.

Energy-intensive sectors, in particular, will require large quantities of climate-friendly energy sources in the long term. Municipal utilities can position themselves as key infrastructure partners for regional hydrogen ecosystems. A further advantage lies in its cross-sectoral use. Hydrogen enables the integration of electricity, heating and mobility systems, thereby supporting an integrated energy transition.

Possible areas of application include:

• Industrial applications
• Power stations and energy centres
• Hydrogen supply for bus and commercial vehicle fleets
• Port and logistics sites
• Emergency power and resilience concepts
• Long-term energy storage

This creates additional business and development opportunities for municipal utilities beyond traditional energy supply.