Lukáš Rečka

Impact of German Energiewende on Transmission Lines in the Central European Region

The impacts of renewable energy production and German nuclear phase-out on the electricity transmission systems in Central Europe is investigated with focus on the disparity between the growth of renewable production and the pace at which new electricity transmission lines have been built, especially in Germany. This imbalance endangers the system stability and reliability in the whole region. The assessment of these impacts on the transmission grid is analysed by the direct current load flow model ELMOD. Two scenarios for the year 2025 are evaluated from different perspectives. The distribution of loads in the grids is shown. Hourly patterns are analysed. Geographical decomposition is made, and problematic regions are identified. The high solar or wind power generation decrease the periods of very low transmission load and increase the mid- and high load on the transmission lines. High solar feed-in has less detrimental impacts on the transmission grid than high wind feed-in. High wind feed-in burdens the transmission lines in the north-south direction in Germany and water-pump-storage areas in Austria.

Vliv obnovitelných zdrojů na českou soustavu přenosu elektřiny

This paper provides the first academic economic simulation analysis of the impact of increase in predominantly German wind and solar energy production on the Czech electricity transmission network. To assess the exact impact on the transmission grid, updated state-of-the-art techno-economic model ELMOD is employed. Two scenarios for the year 2025 are evaluated on the basis of two representative weeks. The first scenario is considered as baseline and models currently used production mix. The second scenario focuses on the effect of German Energiewende policy on the transmission networks as expected in 2025. The results confirm that in the context of Central Europe, higher feed-in of solar and wind power increases the total transport of electricity between the transmission system operator areas as well as the average load of lines and volatility of flows. Also, an increase in number of critical high-load hours is observable. Taking into account only the Czech transmission system, considerable rise both in transported volume and volatility are observed only on border transmission lines, not inside the country. Moreover, our qualitative analysis shows that all these mentioned effects are strengthened by the presence of German- -Austrian bidding zone.

Influence of Renewable Energy Sources on Transmission Networks in Central Europe

This paper focuses on the influence of increased wind and solar power production on the transmission networks in Central Europe. To assess the exact impact on the transmission grid, the direct current load flow model ELMOD is employed. Two development scenarios for the year 2025 are evaluated on the basis of four representative weeks. The first scenario focuses on the effect of Energiewende on the transmission networks, the second one drops out nuclear phase-out and thus assesses isolated effect of increased feed-in. The results indicate that higher feeding of solar and wind power increases the exchange balance and total transport of electricity between transmission system operator areas as well as the average load of lines and volatility of flows. Solar power is identified as a key contributor to the volatility increase; wind power is identified as a key loop-flow contributor. Eventually, it is concluded that German nuclear phase-out does not significantly exacerbate mentioned problems.