Direct and indirect electrification

What we call direct electrification means replacing one source of energy, power or heat with fossil free electricity. Electric cars or trucks instead or gas or diesel powered ones, electric heating instead of oil or gas boilers or maybe soon electric aircrafts instead of jet fuelled ones.

Indirect electrification means that electricity is not used as a direct replacement for fossil fuels, but as an input in industrial processes. The conversion of fossil free electricity into hydrogen has a welcome side effect in that it makes energy easier to store and transport. This will be even more important in the future, as a larger share of the energy mix will come from flexible, fossil free sources of power such as wind. When we are able to store hydrogen, we essentially have a gigantic battery.