Can the energy transition succeed? ⚡ | Good Question on grid expansion, energy storage, and more
Can we really meet our growing electricity needs with renewable energies? What costs are involved in transforming our energy system? And how can we successfully implement structural change in the Lusatia region? Researchers at TU Dresden are addressing precisely these questions. This edition of Good Question examines why the digitalization of energy grids, the construction of large direct current transmission lines, and the expansion of energy storage systems are crucial for the success of the energy transition.
To find the answers, we visited the high-voltage laboratory at TU Dresden, the lignite fields in Lusatia, a massive bucket-wheel excavator in Welzow, and the world’s largest flywheel energy storage facility in Boxberg. For Germany to achieve its goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2045, important decisions and technologies must be put in place today. But the energy transition is not just about numbers and technology – it’s also about ensuring that people are included and supported through these major changes.
Protagonists:
Laura Fiedler, Chair of Electrical Power Supply 👉 https://tu-dresden.de/ing/elektrotech...
Prof. Dominik Möst, Chair of Business Administration, in particular Energy Economics 👉 https://tu-dresden.de/bu/wirtschaft/b...
Prof. Maria Kosse, Chair of Components of Intelligent Energy Networks 👉 https://tu-dresden.de/ing/elektrotech...
Anna Dudeck, Chair of Construction Machinery 👉 https://tu-dresden.de/ing/maschinenwe...
Katharina Hunger, CIMTT - Center of Production Engineering and Management 👉 https://tu-dresden.de/ing/maschinenwe...
Content:
00:00 Intro & Introduction
02:01 Challenges for a successful energy transition
05:23 Solutions: Grid expansion, digitalization & direct current
11:42 From batteries to flywheels: Energy storage
15:17 Accompanying & shaping structural change
19:27 Summary & Outlook
Sources for the infographics & show notes:
Share of renewable energy production in Germany 👉 https://energy-charts.info/charts/ene...
Development of investments in the energy transition 👉 https://www.bundeswirtschaftsminister...
Costs of gas-fired power plants (FOE, 2025) 👉 https://foes.de/publikationen/2025/20...
Energy Policy Triangle 👉 https://tu-dresden.de/bu/der-bereich/...
Storage duration of energy storage systems (Stadler & Sterner, 2017) 👉 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf...
Expansion of storage capacities 👉 https://battery-charts.rwth-aachen.de/
TUD | Campus Lusatia: Structural change in Lusatia is not just about compensating for the loss of an economic sector. Demographic change, the climate crisis, the scarcity of natural resources, and the worsening shortage of skilled workers are also key issues. This is why TU Dresden wants to work together with partners in commerce, society and policy to help shape structural change in the region, which will help promote long-term ecological and economic development and boost interest in the Free State of Saxony. To achieve this, numerous research facilities are being established at the TUD | Lusatia Campus around Bautzen, Hoyerswerda, and Görlitz — such as the Construction Future Lab, the German Center for Astrophysics, and the Smart Mobility Lab.
About this series: TU Dresden launched the “Good Question” video series in the summer of 2021. It explores questions pertinent of our time and answers these from different perspectives.
Moderator: Karl Jeremias Donath
Editing: Karl J. Donath, Anne-Ailine Krause, Lena Schuricht
Production: Birgit Nockenberg, Philipp Schulze, Felix Schneider, Steffen Sommerfeld
Shooting locations: High-voltage hall at TU Dresden, Center for Energy Technology, Toepler Building, Schwarze Pumpe industrial park, Boxberg,
Welzow
#TUDresden #Energy#Research