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2010
Journal Article
Titel
Ihre Meinung ist gefragt. Wie lange vertragen sich konventionelle und erneuerbare Energien auf dem Weg zur komplett regenerativen Stromversorgung?
Alternative
Your opinion is asked for relating to the future energy supply in Germany. How long will it take to go completely regenerative in electric power generation
Abstract
A discussion covers the future energy supply of Germany; inorduction to the subject; scenarios for a complete regenerative electric power generation; system solution for the conversion; system conflict between renewable and conventional electric power generation (approaches to flexibility and limits of conventional power plants; the disappearance of residual loads); making flexibility by grid expansion and power storage; and summary and outlook. The BWK asks its readership for their opinions as to how the nation should shape its future energy supply. The results of ongoing studies at the advisory council of experts (Sachverständigenrat für Umweltfragen, SRU) indicate that generation of energy entirely renewably is economically feasible by 2050, environmentally friendly, and technically feasible, insofar as the necessary storage capacity and broad ranging balancing of the fluctuating electric power generated are included. In the transition period, the power plant install ations have to be flexible. Service life lengthening of the nuclear power plants and building new coal power plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS) as bridge technologies can contribute to flexibility only to a limited extent. They present the risk to increase systematic conflicts and to brake the expansion of renewable energies. Energy policy must today decide on a framework of stable conditions on which investments can be created. Parallel to the planning for the expansion of renewable energies, a schedule for the closing out of conventional power plant capacities is needed. An urgent priority is the grid expansion domestically and on the European level. The furtherance of storage technology is also a priority. This includes compressed air storage for short term energy storage, the linking of pump storage power plants capacities with neighboring countries such as a cooperation with Norway or the storage of regenerative energy of technically generated methane in the existing natural gas grids