Lange, JeltoJeltoLangeKaltschmitt, MartinMartinKaltschmitt2025-01-132025-01-132025In: Powerfuels : Status and Prospects / edited by Nils Bullerdiek, Ulf Neuling, Martin Kaltschmitt. - 1st ed. 2025. - Cham : Springer Nature Switzerland ; Cham : Imprint: Springer, 2025978-3-031-62411-7https://tore.tuhh.de/handle/11420/53211This chapter explores the critical role of renewable energy in the global transition toward a sustainable and climate-neutral future, particularly focusing on the production of synthetic electricity-based fuels, or “powerfuels”. It begins by discussing the imperative of defossilizing the energy sector to meet global climate targets, emphasizing the increasing reliance on renewable energy sources like photovoltaics, wind power, and hydropower. The chapter highlights the challenges and opportunities associated with these renewable energy technologies, including their fluctuating nature and site-specific limitations. It provides an in-depth analysis of their technical and economic developments, current utilization, and global potential. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the need for an integrated approach in designing optimal renewable energy supply systems, combining different generation technologies, storage solutions, and demand management to achieve cost-effective and sustainable production of powerfuels. This integrated evaluation is essential for meeting climate protection goals while minimizing production costs in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.enEnergy transition | Integrated energy systems | Power generation | Renewable energySocial Sciences::333: Economics of Land and Energy::333.7: Natural Resources, Energy and EnvironmentBook part10.1007/978-3-031-62411-7_6Other