Energy transition in danger? Schwesig warns of delays in network expansion!

Energy transition in danger? Schwesig warns of delays in network expansion!

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) emphasized in a recent appeal that more clarity is needed about electricity needs in Germany. In order to counteract delays in the ongoing network expansion projects, it was decided at the Prime Minister's Conference to draw up a comprehensive energy plan. The goal: Determining the amount of electricity required and its availability in the coming years. This step is crucial to advance the energy transition in Germany and to control the expansion of renewable energies, as confirmed by bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de.

Schwesig underlined the importance that the federal government's inventory should not lead to a delay in ongoing planning processes. She particularly emphasized how important it is to use energy locally at reduced rates. The discussion about the use of overhead lines when building large transmission networks is also on the agenda. Schwesig was critical of the delays in network expansion, which were particularly caused by the southern German states. In order to address these problems, Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (CDU) is planning to monitor the energy transition by the end of August, which will provide valuable information about current electricity demand and the status of grid expansion, according to oldenburgernachrichten.de.

The role of renewable energy

The energy transition in Germany not only requires stable network operation, but also a rapid expansion of electricity networks and renewable energies. Market participants and network operators face new requirements in order to ensure security of supply. The bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de emphasizes that system services that were previously primarily provided by conventional power plants must now also be provided by renewable generation, storage and consumption systems. This increases the need for adjustment, especially with regard to the targeted coal phase-out by 2030 and the accelerated expansion of wind and photovoltaic systems.

Safe and robust operation of the power grids with 100% renewable energies is the main goal of the “System Stability Roadmap”, which was decided by the federal government on December 6, 2023. The process of creating this roadmap began in October 2022 and involved numerous stakeholders, including network operators, manufacturers and scientists. The challenges are diverse: The increasing number of connected systems and the required digitalization bring with them both complexity and risks, as a look at the multitude of new requirements shows.

Strong together for the future

More effective collaboration between the different network operators is essential to meet future requirements. The Federal Ministry of Economics has, among other things, launched the SDL Future project to analyze future needs and the procurement of system services. The aim is to create a functioning market for system services, with regulations for market-based procurement already in force. There are exceptions if this is economically inefficient, but the Federal Network Agency will continue to work to define the necessary systems.

In this exciting time, in which network expansion and the energy transition have to go hand in hand, clear policy instructions play a key role. Schwesig makes it clear that nothing should be left behind and that it is important to make decisions that lead us to a future-proof energy supply. It remains to be seen which measures will be implemented and how we can all contribute together to achieve these ambitious goals.