Heat Electrification: The Latest Research in Europe

Heat represents roughly 50% of the European Union's (EU ) final energy demand (Figure 1). But in the past, heat was largely absent in the energy debate, given the traditional focus on energy supply data, which only shows heat fuels, mainly fossil fuels and a small fraction of electricity. The potential synergies between heat and electricity in the transition to a clean energy system have been recognized in the EU's 2016 heat strategy. The increasingly decarbonized electricity system powered by renewable electricity can provide clean heat supply, while the flexibility of heat demand can support electricity peak management and the integration of variable renewable energies.