The Expensive German Sanctuary: "A large power grid for renewables? That's not possible. Never." (Revised)
The Feud Over Energy: Big Grid vs. Cellular Grids
Massive renewable energy infrastructure in view
The ongoing debate about Germany's energy future revolves around a fundamental question: Should the country focus on a centralized, large power grid, or a network of cellular, smaller grids? Klaus Mindrup, energy expert, advocates for the latter, arguing that it's the key to a more flexible, efficient, and stable energy system.
The Limits of Centralized Grids
According to Mindrup, the current German network design, characterized by a "copper plate" that enables electricity transportation without loss, is a myth. The energy transition is far more complex, necessitating the adaptation of power plant deployment plans and an understanding that periods of abundant solar energy in the south might not be matched in the north. This limits the effectiveness of centralized networks, a fact underscored by the constant need for re dispatch.
The Case for Cellular Grids
Mindrup suggests that a cellular approach to energy networks, with semi-autonomous cells or regions, offers several advantages. For one, regional specificity and flexibility allow grid operators to directly respond to the generation and consumption patterns of a given area.
Localized energy storage and grid management can also mitigate volatility in renewable energy supply, smoothing fluctuations and avoiding economically inefficient curtailment of renewable sources. Additionally, the enhanced resilience of this approach ensures that problems in one cell can be isolated to prevent cascading failures through the larger network, improving overall system security and stability.
Economically, the cellular approach enables local consumers to access cleaner energy directly, reducing losses from long-distance transmission and optimizing local renewables. This regionalized generation and consumption model aligns with Germany’s extensive solar power deployment, highlighting its practicality.
The European Perspective
However, the conversation goes beyond the borders of Germany. A large, closely interlinked European power grid provides price signals aggregated over many countries, which optimizes trading and use of storage assets on a continental scale. While this can improve economic efficiency, it can also conflict with local grid needs and conditions, necessitating complex coordination and regulatory challenges.
Navigating the Energy Revolution
As the global energy landscape undergoes a revolution, with renewables exponentially expanding, it's crucial that Germany avoids clinging to outdated models. As Mindrup rightly points out, renewable energies work differently from the existing system, necessitating a bottom-up approach that leverages local resources and gives operators the flexibility to manage their unique challenges effectively. Solutions that defy physics, such as oversized gas-fired power plants or a monolithic, European grid, will only perpetuate the very problems the energy transition aims to solve.
Sources
- ntv.de
- VDE associations advocating for cellular grid systems
- Impact of large-scale storage and flexibility potentials on the European power grid
- The European power grid: challenges and solutions
- The integration of renewable energy in the European electricity market
[1] Apart from four trivial sentences and two edits to clarify the discussion, the revised piece integrates data from the enrichment to add depth to the topic while preserving the original article's core message and structure.
- To handle the increasing reliance on renewable energy in the industry, a shift towards cellular energy grids might be more beneficial as it offers improved flexibility, efficiency, and stability compared to traditional centralized, large power grids.
- Financing solutions that support the expansion of renewable energy in the sector can be optimized through the use of localized cellular grids, which significantly reduce energy losses in transmission and better align with Germany's abundant solar power deployment.
