These technologies pave the way for climate-neutral cities

Today is the next global climate strike. The goal is clear: Germany should be climate neutral by 2045 at the latest, preferably earlier. But there is still a long way to go. To achieve this goal, the switch to renewable energy is just as important as a shift in transportation to low-emission vehicles. Start-ups and their innovative technology solutions are playing a critical role in helping us reach our climate goals. Here are just a few to mention: 

Climate-friendly mobility

The future of climate-friendly mobility will be driven by alternative powertrains. For e-mobility to take off, it needs to be simple and convenient. Charging providers such as elvah or Plugsurfing make it possible to find free and functioning charging stations and pay digitally by using an app. To relieve the air and cities, a change is needed: less individual mobility, more sharing and lending. WeVee realized the necessity: 

The e-mobility-as-a-service platform makes it easy for companies and employees to rent EVs, as well as to plan smart routes to nearby charging stations via their app. E-mobility and charging infrastructure are similar to the chicken-and-egg problem. For charging stations to become the service stations of the future, people are required to install and maintain the technology. That's why we need digital craftsmen who keep up with the times.

Service4Charger has recognized this: The Berlin-based company combines craftsmanship and digitalization and offers intelligent, scalable e-mobility concepts and full-service implementation from a single source. The certified electric company's "mobile heroes" are already active in 20 cities across Germany, ensuring that the charging infrastructure is up and running. 

Storing sun and wind for energy transition

Harnessing the power of the sun is both simple and ingenious. Start-ups like Zolar and Enpal are putting photovoltaic systems on our roofs. And it's not just for individuals. Companies can also use their office or commercial space to harness the power of the sun to provide electricity or heat. To ensure that the sun’s or wind’s volatile energy is available at all times, storage technologies are becoming increasingly important. The Munich-based company Kyon Energy is one of the leading project developers of grid-connected battery storage systems to stabilize the power grid in Germany. The systems they operate throughout Germany show what will be the norm in the future: Volatility is balanced and excess power is stored for later use. This way, large-scale battery storage systems reduce bottlenecks in the power supply and prevent price fluctuations. They enable more photovoltaic and wind power plants to be built and operated efficiently. In doing so, large-scale battery storage systems make a decisive contribution to the energy transition in Germany.

© Envision Digital

Ultimately, we need to use the energy we have as efficiently as possible. The software company Envision Digital already connects more than 110 million devices and manages more than 300 gigawatts of energy systems on its proprietary EnOS platform. The software analyzes energy consumption and demand almost in real time and thereby optimizes energy use. This can have a major impact, especially in connection with e-mobility: Intelligent charging boxes can be connected to the platform. This again enables dynamic load management: Cars charge when less energy is being used elsewhere. If several vehicles are charging at the same time, the power is distributed accordingly. The technology also creates opportunities for bi-directional charging, where electric cars act as electricity storage units.

This text has first been published in a longer version at StartingUp.