Editorial 1 Tribologie + Schmierungstechnik · volume 71 · issue 5-6/ 2024 DOI 10.24053/ TuS-2024-0032 According to the Agora Energiewende organization carbon dioxide equivalents, including methane and nitrous oxide, fell by three percent to 656 million tons between 2023 and 2024. With this Germany is meeting its own national climate protection targets but is lagging the EU’s target which was missed by 12 million tons. Compared to 1990 the reduction was 48 % with the biggest contribution coming from the energy sector utilizing more wind and solar power. In balance with industry increase by 3 million tons, agriculture being constant, buildings and transport reduced 2 million tons each the total reduction of 18 million tons was mathematically attributable to electricity alone. To become carbon neutral by 2050 as outlined by the EU green deal there is still a long way to go. Solar is growing strongly in Germany, while onshore wind energy is happening too slowly though approvals have almost tripled along with grid expansions quadrupled. For the transition in energy demand sectors there are no structural reductions. Industry fluctuates with economic performance, buildings with the weather and subsidies for heat pumps, transportation also sees a reduction in electric car sales due to reduction of incentives. The German Emissions Trading Authority announced revenues from the sale of emission rights rose by 100 million euros to 18.5 billion euros in 2024. The revenues fill the climate and transformation funds, which subsidizes projects for the energy transition, such as building renovation, charging infrastructure for electric vehicles or hydrogen projects. The availability of wind and solar power is well balanced over a year’s period as wind is stronger during the winter and solar in the summer months. The volatility over a 1-2-week period is a challenge though and electricity storage is very important. So far batteries or hot water are used in buildings, but very few batteries in electric vehicles allow reversed charging. Hydro power storage is a well-established alternative, but an increase would mean large distortions of landscape. Underwater pumped storage power plants could provide a solution. They are based on water-filled hollow spheres sunk to the seabed, which are pumped empty using excess electricity from wind turbines, for example. The stored energy is used again by opening a valve and the inflowing water drives a turbine, which in turn generates electricity via a generator. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology (IEE) in Kassel tested the technology with a three-meter concrete sphere that sunk 100 meters deep into Lake Constance. A concrete sphere with a diameter of nine meters is to be installed at a depth of 500 to 600 meters off the Californian coast near Los Angeles. In 2026, the first underwater pumped storage power plant in the Pacific with an output of 0.5 megawatts is to be operated on a trial basis for a year. Technology is ever evolving, the role of lubrication, friction and wear will change compared to the past, but remember Tribology is everywhere. Your editor in chief Manfred Jungk CO 2 -Emissions in Germany 3 % reduced