The project »NEW 4.0« investigates the improved interaction of Hamburg as a large energy consumption center and Schleswig-Holstein as an important wind energy producer. In this transnational large-scale project, it will be shown how the entire region with 4.5 million inhabitants can already be reliably and reliably supplied with renewable energy in 2025 to 70 % and 2035 to 100 %.

"NEW" stands for the Norddeutsche EnergieWende (Northern German Energy Transition) and "4.0" describes the fourth industrial revolution: the digitalization of industry and the intelligent networking of the systems within the framework of the Energiewende. This is why, in particular, an efficient handling of local electricity surpluses is the focus of the investigations. Within a double strategy, overproductions of regional wind farms are to be reduced by improved electricity exports to other regions. At the same time, the local energy use should be increased by means of suitable flexibility concepts. Flexibility is to be achieved, in particular, by regulating consumption through load management, storage and sector coupling. Such improved flexibility is also intended to help reduce the load to be covered by conventional power plants with low renewable generation. NEW 4.0 is intended to help identify ways of sustainable energy supply and thus strengthen the region's future viability.

In the course of the project, the measures investigated in the project are evaluated at the Institute for Environmental Technology and Energy Economics. To this end, models of the demonstrators involved in the project are simulated in the electricity and other energy systems. Using these models, these options are then to be examined for their GHG emissions.