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Energy transition in need: This is how our power grid is endangering the future!
Germany is aiming for 80% of its electricity supply to come from renewable energies by 2025. Despite challenges, the energy transition remains central.
Energy transition in need: This is how our power grid is endangering the future!
In Germany, the energy transition is on the agenda - and with a clear goal: by 2025, a whopping 80% of the electricity required should come from renewable energies. But there are some hurdles to overcome on the way there. According to a recent report by Time online Last year, the state had to pay around 500 million euros to green electricity producers to compensate them for reducing their systems on days with a lot of solar and wind energy. The reason? To prevent overloading the power grid.
However, these throttling measures have come under criticism. Many assure that the expansion of the required electricity grids is not keeping pace with the increase in wind and solar parks. Critics complain that the plans are too ambitious and that the costs of the renovation are unsustainable. Therefore, Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) is planning a cash collapse in order to check the feasibility of the expansion goals by the summer break.
Challenges in the heating sector
Another exciting point is the emerging discussion about the heating sector. The sharp increase in the European gas price, from 16 euros per megawatt hour in March 2021 to 227 euros in March 2022, has not only caused the electricity market to wobble, but also posed challenges to the heating sector, as on Berlin.de is reported. Many market participants are reluctant to make the necessary investments to reduce dependence on fossil energy imports.
The focus is on modeling that aims for a 100% sustainable heat supply for Berlin by 2050, which will not be possible without the immediate use of the potential of renewable energies and seasonal heat storage. This change also requires a faster renovation rate in existing infrastructure.
Network expansion for the energy transition
However, the challenges of the energy transition do not stop there. Like that Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) explains, the expansion of the power grids and ensuring stable network operations are crucial. The increasing share of renewable energies means new requirements for market participants and network operators. There is a lot to do, especially due to the accelerated expansion of wind and photovoltaic systems and the planned phase-out of coal by 2030.
The so-called “Roadmap System Stability” aims to support the safe operation of the power grids using 100% renewable energy. The BMWK has even initiated a process that involves relevant actors in the development. One of the challenges is that more and more network operations services (SDL) systems are now required, which increases the complexity of the entire system.
The energy transition is a mammoth project that is not only intended to revolutionize our electricity supply, but also change the way we generate and use heat. It remains to be seen whether the ambitious plans can be realized in the coming years.