EnergieträgerMix

EnergieträgerMix is a German initiative that provides a standardized framework for analysing the relationship between different energy carriers. The project was launched in 2017 by the German Institute for Energy and Transport (IET) in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Its main objective is to supply policymakers, researchers and industry stakeholders with transparent data on the conversion efficiencies, embodied energy, and CO₂ emissions associated with transforming energy from one carrier to another – for example, converting natural gas into heat, or electricity into synthetic fuels.

The platform hosts a database containing technical specifications for a broad range of conversion technologies, including combined heat and power plants, fuel cells, heat pumps, electrolyzers and advanced coal and gas plants. Each entry lists key performance indicators such as net efficiency, input and output energy flows, and emission factors relative to the International Energy Agency’s recommended values. Users can download the entire dataset as CSV files or query it via an intuitive web interface. The tool also offers visualisation options, allowing users to compare the climate impact of different conversion chains and to perform scenario analysis for decarbonisation pathways.

EnergieträgerMix is used by national energy agencies to refine the German Energy Transition (Energiewende) targets and by academic institutions for lifecycle assessment studies. It is updated annually to reflect technological progress and policy changes. The project’s methodology is based on peer‑reviewed literature and aligns with the European Network for Energy Efficiency Statistics (ENEES).