German power grid planning shows little ambition – media

The German grid agency, BNetzA, has published its scenario for future electricity network planning using rather conservative assumptions on renewables expansion, e-mobility and overall power consumption, writes Jakob Schlandt in Tagesspiegel Background. “The Federal Network Agency has scaled down the proposals of the transmission system operators regarding the assumptions made for the expansion of renewable energies,” writes Schlandt. In addition, while the agency assumes no more coal plants by 2035 – a progressive interpretation of the planned coal exit plan – it sees a much higher gas plant capacity need than grid operators. David Ritter of the Institute for Applied Ecology (Öko-Institut) told Tagesspiegel that the scenario was “not ambitious enough to reflect an energy policy that is in line with achieving Paris climate targets and the resulting European and national emission reductions”.

The expansion of Germany's power grid is one of the energy transition's greatest current challenges. The scenario is the “start signal” for the next German grid development plan and on its basis, Germany's four transmission system operators (TSO) will now propose concrete grid development projects. The grid operators presented their blueprint for the BNetzA scenario in January.