Energy Supply In Germany Research Articles

Geological storage capacity for green excess energy readily available in Germany

Abstract. Energy supply in Germany is subject to a profound change. The present paper addresses the German potential of storing excess energy from renewable power sources in the geological subsurface. Wind and solar electricity can be transformed into hydrogen, and with carbon dioxide subsequently into methane. When needed, electricity is regained in a gas turbine power plant combusting the methane. Here, we are taking into account the actual German storage capacity for natural gas and show that the outlined technology is ready for operation and economically competitive. The current potential for combined storage of methane and carbon dioxide allows to store around 80 TWh renewable excess energy. This is far more than required to date and estimated to provide the entire coverage in 2050.

Climatological analysis of solar and wind energy in Germany using the Grosswetterlagen classification

Solar and wind energy play an important role in current and future energy supply in Germany and Europe. The production of renewable energy highly depends on weather conditions resulting in an increasing impact of meteorological fluctuations on energy production. Here, climatological data of solar radiation and wind speed are used to simulate hourly capacity factors for solar and wind energy for Germany from 1995 to 2015. Using renewable energy production data for 2015 these data are converted into time series of generated electrical power. Events with very low energy production, i.e., shortfall events, have been identified and related to large-scale weather regimes over Europe.In Germany, on average about twice as much electrical energy is generated from wind compared to solar radiation; in addition there is a distinct annual cycle with an equal share of generated energy during summer and a 70/30% wind/solar share in winter. There is an unambiguous dependency of wind and solar energy production on weather regimes. Shortfall events in Germany only occur in winter, often associated with a high pressure system over Central Europe. During this weather regime, the renewable energy potential in Northern and Southeastern Europe is above average, possibly allowing to balance shortfall events in Germany.

The Role of a Digital Industry 4.0 in a Renewable Energy System

The transition to an intermittent energy production from renewable energy sources (RES) increases the complexity of providing reliable energy supply in Germany. Yet the growing number of RES impede the necessary effort to control the system. The introduction of digital or smart energy systems is often proclaimed as a logical next step towards coping with this rising complexity. It seems convenient that the manufacturing industry, as one of the major energy consumers, is currently also in a process of a digital transition, the fourth industrial revolution. This paper explores the current state of expert discourse on the role of a digitized industry as a potential enabler for the energy transition using Germany as a case study. For this purpose, we gathered qualitative data through semistructured interviews among industry managers and energy researchers. We identified the three major areas in the expert discourse of industry's future potentials: (1) increasing transparency in the energy system, (2) providing demand flexibility, and (3) increasing energy efficiency. In this paper, we address the internal barriers and explore industry's reluctance to interact with the energy system in order to initiate a transition.

Assessment of the Demand of Critical Materials for Fuel Cell Micro CHP for Households in Germany

<p>Due to the pressing necessity of switching to alternative sources of energy, fuel cells (FC) for household applications have emerged as an alternative for decentralized energy supply. Despite the advancement on technological developments, concerns on the availability of critical raw materials required for the fabrication of these technologies may limit their implementation. This document analyses the demand of platinum for mass implementation of stationary fuel cells for household energy supply in Germany, through an analysis of the potential market, lifecycle of the product, material demands, and material flows. Different scenarios show that improving recycling rates and extending operation lifetime can help to mitigate the material needs even in the most demanding scenarios and reach material reuse targets. Methods and results can also be applied for other regions where FC have this potential applicability. Quality of data and its effects on the results need also to be further analyzed.</p>

Evaluation on distributed renewable energy system integrated with a Passive House building using a new energy performance index

The newly built Passive House school buildings have broadly employed a novel distributed renewable energy system for heating energy supply in Germany. This article proposed a distributed renewable energy system and investigated its performances (energy and thermal comfort) through numerical simulations in a school building. A new energy performance index has therefore been defined to evaluate this renewable energy system in the school. The energy system simulation (ESS) methodology and numerical models were validated by typical on-site measurements, including borehole outlet temperature and COP of heat pump. In addition, more numerical simulations relevant to energy performance of the proposed renewable energy system have been conducted based on the effects of the borehole outlet temperature and heat recovery efficiency. Several important findings can be achieved as follows. 1) Increasing the heat recovery efficiency of water-water heat exchanger facility would not only significantly improve COP, but also reduce obviously electricity use and energy costs. 2) A comparison, between the systems with heat recovery efficiency of 0.9 and without heat recovery, demonstrated the reduction of CO2 emissions up to 5.3 kg per typical winter day in Germany. 3) There is a significant correlation between the heat pump COP and the heat recovery efficiency. 4) In addition, most environmental measurements in the reference rooms in the school building fall in the comfort zone in winter, which indicates the heating energy supply based on this distributed renewable energy system could support a proper level of thermal comfort.

Long-term scenarios and strategies for the deployment of renewable energies in Germany

Abstract The transformation of the energy supply in Germany (the “ Energiewende ”) as described in the German Federal government’s ‘Energy Concept’ ( Energiekonzept, 2010 ) is based on a political consensus about long-term targets for energy efficiency and renewable energies. The aim of this article is to present a consistent scenario for this transformation process reflecting the long-term implementation of renewable energies and the possible future structure of the German energy system as a whole. Structural and economic effects of this development are derived and discussed. It summarizes results of scenario analyses done by the department of Systems Analysis and Technology Assessment of the German Aerospace Center as part of a three-year research project for the German Federal Ministry for the Environment. The underlying study provides a detailed data base reflecting a long-term roadmap for the energy system transformation in Germany. The scenarios show that the policy targets are consistent and can be achieved, if appropriate policy measures are to be implemented. The economic analysis shows the amount of investments and the strong market dynamics required for new generation technologies but also the huge economic benefits that can result from this development path in terms of fuel cost savings and lower fuel imports.

MEASURING LONG-TERM ENERGY SUPPLY RISKS: A G7 RANKING

The security of energy supply has again become a similarly hot topic as it was during the oil crises in the 1970s, not least due to the recent historical oil price peaks. In this paper, we analyze the energy security situation of the G7 countries using a statistical risk indicator and empirical energy data for the years 1978 through 2010. We find that Germany's energy supply risk has risen substantially since the oil price crises of the 1970s, whereas France has managed to reduce its risk dramatically, most notably through the deployment of nuclear power plants. As a result of the nuclear phase-out decision of 2011, Germany's supply risk can be expected to rise further and to approach the level of Italy. Due to its resource poverty, Italy has by far the highest energy supply risk among G7 countries.

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR GENERATING UNITS TO ENSURE A SECURE SYSTEM OPERATION

AbstractWind and solar energy as renewable energy sources play a more and more important role in the energy supply in Germany. But the increase in production of renewable energy sources generates new problems in the German energy system concerning energy transportation and a secure system operation. The fluctuation of the wind power and photovoltaic (PV) production in addition to the fluctuations of the consumption are resulting in a significantly high demand on fast power reserve from the thermal power plants. Due to this expected tendency 50Hertz has upgraded the requirements for thermal power plants with application for grid connection in its own grid code. According tos 19 EnWG 50Hertz is obliged to determine minimum requirements for the grid connection of all types of generating units. In this context all existing power plants and all power plants with application for grid connection will be treated equally in a transparent manner in respect to their system behaviour. In addition to the urgently needed network expansion and the improved system compatibility of the new wind turbine generators also an enhanced transient behaviour of the thermal power plants is indispensable in future. For those purposes the upgraded grid code of 50Hertz describes the essential technical minimum requirements for a secure system operation.

Measuring Energy Supply Risks: A G7 Ranking

The security of energy supply has again become a similarly hot topic as it was during the oil crises in the 1970s, not least due to the recent historical oil price peaks. In this paper, we analyze the energy security situation of the G7 countries using a statistical risk indicator and empirical energy data for the years 1978 through 2007. We find that Germany's energy supply risk has risen substantially since the oil price crises of the 1970s, whereas France has managed to reduce its risk dramatically, most notably through the deployment of nuclear power plants. As a result of the legally stipulated nuclear phase-out, Germany's supply risk can be expected to rise further and to approach the level of Italy. Due to its resource poverty, Italy has by far the highest energy supply risk among G7 countries.

Pathways and pitfalls of implementing the use of woodfuels in Germany's bioenergy sector

The paper presents an empirical study on the use of woody biomass for energy supply in Germany and the federal state of Brandenburg. It aims to explain the role forestry enterprises have for bioenergy provision in this area. The ‘Institutions of Sustainability’ framework is used as an analytical tool to investigate the role of private and public actors in these transactions, respectively, in the governance structures they are subject to. Empirical evidence was gathered by in-depth interviews with actors from forestry and bioenergy practice. Triggered by favorable governance structures, i.e. strong support by national and regional policies, rising prices for fossil energy sources, and co-operation of committed individuals and groups, a new bioenergy industry has been successfully established. However, the forestry sector has so far been just a marginal fuel supplier for this industry. The study identifies pitfalls impeding a broad implementation of wood-energy supply in forestry: not cost-covering prices offered by the bioenergy sector, lacking market transparency and security of supply, lacking mobilization of forest wood, and a preference among forest managers to sell products to the wood-processing industry. In terms of the Institutions of Sustainability the properties of transactions (asset specificities, uncertainties, separability), characteristics of actors (values, rationality) and governance structures (long-term contractual obligations elsewhere) are decisive in explaining the current form of transaction.

INTELLIGENT CONTROL SOLUTIONS FOR STEAM POWER PLANTS TO BALANCE THE FLUCTUATION OF WIND ENERGY

A stable and quality-oriented energy supply in Germany is a pre-requisite for a sustainable national economy. Therefore, also for political reasons, the wind energy as a renewable energy source in onshore and off-shore wind power plants plays a more and more important role in this context. But this increase in wind power productions generates new and up to now unknown problems in the German energy system concerning energy transportation, the reduced availability of this energy for meteorological reasons and the thereby caused need for so called “Hour Reserve from conventional power plants”. Also the fluctuation in wind power production in addition to the fluctuations of the consumer power demand and the not measured production from decentralized sources are resulting in substantially high positive and negative reserve power in the conventional power plants which are up to now not well designed for these new requirements. The analysis of these new burdens for the power plants, the development of new energy services and new strategies of control and the design of new conventional power plants in respect with an optimal operation regime are the main goals of this investigation on behalf of VGB PowerTech.

EFFICIENCY OF BIOGASPRODUCTION FROM PLANTS

The energy-production from biogas has had a considerably share of energy supply in Germany over the last years. Due to political basic conditions the fermentation of plants, produced for energy-purposes, together with wastes from animal production has become state of art in Germany. Therefore the acreage, being planted with those feedstock for biogas-plants, has increased enormously. The project being presented here aims to draw an energy balance for a single biogas-plant, located at the experimental station “Unterer Lindenhof”, belonging to the University of Hohenheim. Options for Energy Savings in delivering the feedstock for the plant shall be identified.

Energy policy is technology politics—The hydrogen energy case (with an eye particularly on safety comparison of hydrogen energy to current fuels)

Germany's energy supply status shows both an accumulation of unsatisfactory sustainabilities putting the nation's energy security at risk, and a hopeful sign: the nation's supply dependency on foreign sources and the accordingly unavoidable price dictate the nation suffers under is almost life risking; the technological skill, however, of the nation's researchers, engineers, and industry materializes in a good percentage of the indigenous and the world's energy conversion technology market. Exemplified with the up and coming hydrogen energy economy this paper tries to advocate the 21st century energy credo: energy policy is energy technology politics! Energy source thinking and acting is 19th and 20th century, energy efficient conversion technology thinking and acting is 21st century. Hydrogen energy is on the verge of becoming the centre-field of world energy interest. Hydrogen energy is key for the de-carbonization and, thus, sustainabilization of fossil fuels, and as a storage and transport means for the introduction of so far un-operational huge renewable sources into the world energy market.—What is most important is hydrogen's thermodynamic ability to exergize the energy scheme: hydrogen makes more technical work available (exergy) out of less primary energy! Hydrogen adds value. Hydrogen energy and, in particular, hydrogen energy technologies, are to become part of Germany's national energy identity; accordingly, national energy policy as energy technology politics needs to grow in the nation's awareness as common sense! Otherwise Germany seems ill-equipped energetically, and its well-being hangs in the balance. Never in the anthropogenic energy history a novel energy was added to the mix because any one of the “old” energies neared its depletion point and were to replaced; in each case the addition took place because of technological advantages of the novel energy! The novel secondary energy hydrogen will not be any different, it is entirely depending on existing technologies bolted together or on newly developed ones.

INFLUENCE OF WIND ENERGY ON THE POWER STATION PARK AND THE GRID

The energy supply in Germany was steered by the current demand of the consumers till now. It will change in an adjustment process to an energy supply led by stochastically arising energy offer by wind power stations. The development of the wind energy is pushed at suitable onshore and offshore sites. Up to the year 2030 onshore wind parks are expected with an installed power of approx. 22 GW and offshore wind parks with 26 GW installed power. The planned offshore wind parks with partly more Giga watts of power must be connected to the existing high-voltage transmission system. Another problem is that the wind energy is mostly produced in northern Germany, but is mainly needed in the middle and Southern part of Germany such as the Rhine-Main and Ruhr district. In order to compensate for the fluctuating feeding from the wind power stations backup power plants are needed. They must be able to provide reserve power. A simplified model of the German energy generation and transmission system was used for this investigation. Based on this model a conceivable scenario of the energy supply in Germany in the year 2030 will be discussed in this paper.

05/00196 Co-combustion of olive cake with lignite coal in a circulating fluidized bed: Atimtay, A. T. et al. Fuel, 2004, 83, (7–8), 859–867

A stable and quality-oriented energy supply in Germany is a pre-requisite for a sustainable national economy. Therefore, also for political reasons, the wind energy as a renewable energy source in onshore and off-shore wind power plants plays a more and more important role in this context. But this increase in wind power productions generates new and up to now unknown problems in the German energy system concerning energy transportation, the reduced availability of this energy for meteorological reasons and the thereby caused need for so called “Hour Reserve from conventional power plants”. Also the fluctuation in wind power production in addition to the fluctuations of the consumer power demand and the not measured production from decentralized sources are resulting in substantially high positive and negative reserve power in the conventional power plants which are up to now not well designed for these new requirements. The analysis of these new burdens for the power plants, the development of new energy services and new strategies of control and the design of new conventional power plants in respect with an optimal operation regime are the main goals of this investigation on behalf of VGB PowerTech.

Research on highly reliable solid-state lithium batteries in NIRIM

A stable and quality-oriented energy supply in Germany is a pre-requisite for a sustainable national economy. Therefore, also for political reasons, the wind energy as a renewable energy source in onshore and off-shore wind power plants plays a more and more important role in this context. But this increase in wind power productions generates new and up to now unknown problems in the German energy system concerning energy transportation, the reduced availability of this energy for meteorological reasons and the thereby caused need for so called “Hour Reserve from conventional power plants”. Also the fluctuation in wind power production in addition to the fluctuations of the consumer power demand and the not measured production from decentralized sources are resulting in substantially high positive and negative reserve power in the conventional power plants which are up to now not well designed for these new requirements. The analysis of these new burdens for the power plants, the development of new energy services and new strategies of control and the design of new conventional power plants in respect with an optimal operation regime are the main goals of this investigation on behalf of VGB PowerTech.