Perspective

19 Juni 2024

5 Minuten Lesezeit

Sustainability Industry Insights – Focus: Power, Utilities & Renewables

Our studies showcase the ways power generators, utilities and renewable energy producers are operationalizing the green transformation, including specific, actionable steps for sector players.

A robust evidence base is important for strategy and planning in both the public and the private sector, for example our regular scenario-based forecasts for the energy market focused on key economic, policy and technology drivers.

Finally, we share insights into strategic topics that are high on the current agenda including clean energy finance, energy policy and the geopolitical implications of the clean energy transition at the global and regional level.

These publications leverage our extensive experience and transformation know-how in the power, utilities and renewables market, our vast client ecosystem across the globe, and our custom-built tools and energy systems models.

Featured Publications

Insights into pathways to decarbonization

Series: Pathways to decarbonization | Power

Without a decarbonized power sector, it’s virtually impossible for other industries to hit their Paris Climate Agreement targets. At the same time, such a transition must take place while preserving system resiliency and sustainability. In this installment of our Pathways to decarbonization series, we explore how the hard-to-abate power sector can tackle these challenges while simultaneously accelerating its path to net-zero.

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Survey: Successfully shaping the heating transition 2025

The decarbonization of the heat sector is key for achieving climate targets. Deloitte conducts a survey on an annual basis to assess the current state and challenges of energy providers in Germany.

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Position paper: Capital for the energy transition

The energy transition requires substantial amounts of capital. A position paper developed jointly by Deloitte, the German Association of Energy Industries (BDEW) and the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) outlines ways out of the financing dilemma. Published in 2024, the second paper outlines a framework for a prospective energy transition fund.

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WEB3 Briefing: Financing the Energy Transition – A Boost Through Tokenization

The Deloitte survey reveals considerable interest among private savers in investment opportunities linked to solar and wind energy production facilities. Tokenization offers a viable mechanism for capitalizing on this potential.

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Study: International environment analysis on smart cities

Selected use cases related to digitalization and the energy sectorIn cooperation with Deloitte, the German Energy Agency (dena) conducted a study that examines how smart cities can contribute to achieving sustainability and climate protection goals. This study dives deep into the international world of smart cities, looks at their connection to digitalization and the energy sector and evaluates them from an economic, regulatory, technical and social perspective.

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PoV: When green energy meets geopolitics – How to achieve energy security in a polarized world

To achieve global climate goals, the world must transform from a fossil fuel-based economy to a fully renewable energy system. This energy transition is a global imperative. It will be mainly up to businesses, investors and public actors of the industrialized world – where demand for green energy is highest – to make this happen.

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PoV: A security policy for the global hydrogen economy

Effective decarbonization requires a strategy for securing the supply of green hydrogen.

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Sustainability transformation: drivers and trends

Overview

Power generators, utilities and renewable energy producers play a key role in the energy transition with their efforts to meet overall climate targets while also ensuring the security and the viability of the energy supply. There are many facets to the sustainability transformation in addition to climate change mitigation, with the focus in this market shifting more toward circular economy models, nature-based solutions, and climate adaptation.

Decarbonization & Energy transition

Phasing out fossil fuels: Reducing the use of fossil fuels, as affirmed at COP28, in addition to a focus on ramping up renewables (e.g., tripling global renewable power capacity by 2030)

Tightening climate regulations: Driving the energy transition through stricter climate policies, from increasing CO2 prices to new environmental regulations. To date, the focus has mainly been on improving energy efficiency

Promoting electrification of end uses: Achieving net-zero emissions through electrification combined with renewable power solutions (e.g., heat pumps and electric vehicles)

Strengthening energy security: Increased use of renewable energies to improve the security and profitability of the energy supply

Circular economy

Minimal use of materials: Reusing and refurbishing photovoltaic panels, batteries, and other key components, repowering technologies such as wind farms, and recycling materials from batteries to steel.

Extending the service life of assets and optimizing maintenance management: Introducing predictive maintenance for supply networks and power generation facilities

Nature stewardship

Assessing nature-related impacts: Evaluating the environmental impact of clean energy projects (e.g., protection of natural habitat and endangered species)

Restoring and protecting ecosystems: Ensuring positive impacts of offshore windfarms on marine biodiversity (e.g., building artificial reefs, minimizing trawling)

Climate adaptation

Addressing climate risks: Implementing energy management systems designed to identify and manage climate risks, mandating the inclusion of climate adaptation issues in site risk assessments