The convergence of the electricity, heat and mobility sectors has been discussed in the energy industry for years. Despite some progress, opportunities for new business models and potential savings are not always fully understood. Kiwigrid's CEO Frank Schlichting explores why sector coupling is progressing slowly in an opinion piece for PV Magazine Germany.

There are four main reasons behind the slow implementation of the urgently needed convergence of the electricity, heat and mobility sectors:

1. The technical complexity is extremely high. Huge amounts of data have to be managed, while numerous systems and devices from different manufacturers distributed over a large number of locations and buildings must be connected.

2. The operational implementation is both technically and logistically challenging. End-users face many hurdles, from initial installation to system maintenance.

3. Customer requirements have changed as a result of a major shift in environmental awareness. To meet the wide range of needs, we need intelligent, integrated offerings.

4. Political regulation. Germany has long been a frontrunner in adopting renewables, though is now lagging behind others in implementing EU requirements.

Read the full article which discusses how to meet these challenges