The Eco-Friendly Island: Ditching Central Power for Efficiency!
Giant infrastructure for renewable energy sources?
Germany's network operators are enjoying the federal government's decision to construct new gas power plants, but energy expert Klaus Mindrup is far from convinced. In the "Climate Lab" of ntv, he expresses his concerns about the current approach to renewable energy and our dependence on outdated central power systems. So, why would Klaus opt against gas power plants as a backup for the power system?
Klaus says no because he only calls the backup crew when there's a fire, focusing on constructing an energy system that reduces the need for firefighters. The German political landscape, however, seems to favor siloed thinking, planning energy sectors separately (electricity, heat, and transport). Klaus explains that this approach, primarily an electricity transition, results in cost-inefficient solutions rather than the preferred 20 gigawatts of new gas power plants.
The old paradigm is that Germany's power grid, like a copper plate, can sell electricity without loss or resistance from Flensburg to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. However, this is a myth, as power plant deployment plans often result in transmission issues, particularly during periods of abundant solar power in the south and scarce production in the north. Now, the network operators propose network expansion to solve these problems, but Klaus views this as naïve, pointing out that solar expansion exceeds network expansion multiple times every year.
So, what is a cost-effective alternative? Klaus recommends looking to California for inspiration. The future lies in island networks, local price signals, combined heat and power, and the all-rounders of the power system - batteries.
In California, the advantage of island networks is that even small grids can be interconnected over time. In contrast, Germany's large, centralized grid has persisted, despite the VDE advocating for a cellular approach (comprising multiple small, interconnected grids). This approach allows for efficient power management and the quick adaptation to changes in renewable energy output.
Klaus emphasizes that a large network can be brought down by technical or trading manipulations. A cellular system is more stable, and small units can eventually grow larger, forming island grids that begin with houses equipped with black-start capable batteries. These batteries can start without an external power source, unlike conventional power plants.
What role do gas power plants play in this shift? The situation with gas power plants is complicated, with the German government planning to build them predominantly at existing power plant sites. However, this strategy risks disadvantaging these sites in international tenders and leaves unanswered questions about the necessity of these power plants in meeting Germany's energy needs, particularly during winter periods of low solar and wind power.
Klaus also raises concerns about the lack of heat connections in 'greenfield' sites, making it impossible to leverage the waste heat from gas power plants. Ideally, gas power plants should operate in combination with combined heat and power (CHP) systems to manage both electricity and heat demands. To make this possible, CHP plants need to be decentralized and intentionally placed, connected with heat storage for optimal system stabilization.
Small (household) batteries can also play a role in stabilizing the power grid by acting as local energy storage solutions. Unfortunately, these batteries often lack clear signals, like traffic lights, to guide their usage effectively. However, these signals can be improved to facilitate optimal battery performance.
With the growing fleet of electric vehicles, they can be leveraged to stabilize the power grid by acting as mobile energy storage units. In an ideal world, these batteries would receive price signals that allow them to sell excess energy back to the grid when necessary.
In conclusion, Germany must transition away from a centralized, volatile power grid and shift towards cellular Power Grids (Microgrids and Distributed Energy Resources) to better integrate renewables, enhance system stability, and reduce reliance on expensive gas power plants. The future of energy lies in a more connected, decentralized, and adaptive power grid system.
Clara Pfeffer and Christian Herrmann interviewed Klaus Mindrup in the podcast "Klima-Labor." If you'd like to learn more, listen to the full conversation on the podcast and more episodes of "Klima-Labor" by ntv.
- Klaus Mindrup suggests that Germany should learn from California's island networks and implement local price signals, combined heat and power, and batteries to create a more stable and cost-effective energy system, moving away from the dependence on large, centralized power grids and gas power plants.
- To fully leverage the potential of renewable energy and reduce the need for expensive gas power plants, Klaus advocates for a transition to cellular Power Grids (Microgrids and Distributed Energy Resources), which would increase system stability, better integrate renewables, and promote a more connected, decentralized, and adaptive energy network in Germany.
