Flexibility in generation on the way
Christopher Weßelmann
The energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the need to mitigate climate change and transition to a sustainable energy future. At the heart of this transformation is the shift in energy supply from fossil fuels to zero or low emission sources. The intermittency of renewable energy sources poses a major challenge to ensuring a stable and reliable supply of electricity. The availability of dispatchable generation will play a crucial role in meeting these challenges and supporting the energy transition.
Renewables such as wind and solar are inherently intermittent. As the penetration of intermittent generation units increases, maintaining the balance between supply and demand becomes more complex. This is where dispatchable generation becomes essential. It can provide the flexibility needed to cover the residual load – the difference between total demand and the contribution of renewables – thus ensuring the stability and security of the grid.
Construction and commissioning of the Leipheim gas-fired power plant
Thomas Hörtinger, Günter Heimann, Oliver Stenzel and Stefan Wolf
The Leipheim gas-fired power plant was built between 2021 and 2023 as a special grid-related operating resource (bnBm) in accordance with § 11 (3) of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG) in the Amprion grid area for curative redispatch services. Based on the demand assessment of the transmission system operators and the Federal Network Agency, such plants are being built in southern Germany with a capacity of 1,200 MW in order to be able to continue to operate the electricity grid safely and reliably after the last nuclear power plants are shut down after May 2023. Since 31 July 2023, the Leipheim gas-fired power plant has been available to the transmission system operator Amprion for the reserve period of ten years, with 300 MW of power available within 30 minutes. The gas-fired power plant does not participate in the regular electricity market; it is only called upon to operate by Amprion. After the award of the contract in favour of the Leipheim gas power plant project by Amprion GmbH (TSO) in February 2021, the project company Gaskraftwerk Leipheim GmbH Co. KG (GKL) was fully transferred to LEAG. LEAG commissioned the companies Siemens Energy as EPC, Pfaffinger Bau SE and Omexom Hochspannung GmbH with the construction of the power plant and periphery.
H2UB Boxberg – Concept of a green flexible power plant
Daniel Kosel, Daniel Genz, Rainer Schiller, Philipp Schwerdtner and Paul Schimek
An energy system dominated by volatile generation units? Covering residual load flexibly? Ensuring security of supply? No use of fossil primary energy sources? Forcing the hydrogen economy? LEAG is developing concepts to address the pressing issues of the energy system, which is in a state of upheaval, and to develop implementable answers. LEAG is implementing the GigawattFactory by constructing photovoltaic and wind power plants with a total installed capacity of 7 GW in Lusatia and Central Germany by 2030. To ensure the security of the power generation from PV and wind power plants, LEAG is developing various concepts based on zero-emission or low-emission technologies such as battery storage, H2-ready power plants or modular innovative power plants. Among other things, so-called H2UB concepts are being developed for various locations.
GigaBattery – LEAG concept
Gunnar Löhning, Rainer Schiller, Manuel Rozycki and Thomas Hörtinger
The energy transition in Germany is leading to a major restructuring of the energy supply system, with controllable conventional generation plants increasingly being replaced by wind and photovoltaic plants that feed in electricity depending on the weather. To ensure security of supply, the further expansion of electricity generation from renewable energies must also be accompanied by the construction of suitable energy storage systems. Stationary battery storage systems can smooth out the volatile feed-in of fluctuating renewable energies and stabilise the operation of the transmission grid. LEAG is actively shaping the energy transition and structural change and is building battery storage systems at its power plant sites. The result shall be a modular large-scale battery in the gigawatt range (“GigaBattery”), which will form part of the “GigawattFactory”. Power plant sites already have a connection to the transmission grid and large industrial areas are available – ideal conditions for the construction of large battery storage systems. This article provides an overview of LEAG’s current battery storage projects.
Guidelines and certification of the hydrogen-readiness of power plants
Pierre Huck, Dominik Voggenreiter and Thomas Gallinger
The use of hydrogen as a fuel in power plants is seen as a potential way to decarbonise the power generation sector. The hydrogen-readiness of power plants is therefore a widely discussed topic in the industry. However, the exact meaning of the term can differ from one market player to another and there is a lack of a comprehensive and transparent definition at plant level. For this reason, TÜV SÜD developed a set of guidelines focusing on the hydrogen readiness of gas-fired power plants, to be used as a common framework for participants in a power plant project. These guidelines are also used as a basis for the certification of concepts of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) or engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) companies, as well as projects under planning or construction.
Noise emission of cooling towers – Generation, evaluation, mitigation
Thomas Meyer
Cooling towers are one of the major noise sources in power and petrochemical plants. Noise control measures for the various noise sources within the cooling tower must be selected in such a way that legal requirements for receiver points in the vicinity of the plants are met. For natural draught wet cooling towers, it is primarily the water noise that plays a major role as a noise source, while for forced-air cooling towers – wet or dry – the noise emitted by the fans and their drives is important as well. Such noise emissions can be predicted by means of different empirical models. The main noise generation mechanisms and the possible noise protection measures are presented, and the legal requirements are explained. Finally, the methods of immission prediction and sound propagation calculation are presented, which must be used to design the necessary noise protection measures.
Application of thermal performance digital twins for cooling systems at fuel-switch and brownfield projects
Albert Zapke, Riaan Terblanche, Tim Breining and Bernd Abröll
EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG is planning to shut down coal combustion at the Altbach/Deizisau site and is building a H2-ready combined-cycle gas turbine plant (Unit 3), which will produce electricity and district heating in a highly efficient way as combined heating plant. After the successful commissioning of Unit 3, the coal-fired plant components of Unit 1, which is currently in the grid reserve, will be decommissioned. The existing dry/wet mechanical-draft hybrid cooling system of Unit 1 should remain in use. After this change, the cooling system will have excess capacity. The reduction in capacity is an opportunity to save auxiliary power consumption by installing variable speed drives at the fans. Cooling system performance maps are required to estimate the auxiliary power consumption potential. The original performance graphs of the cooling tower supplier are of limited use for the purpose of simulating future plant operating scenarios since the cooling system has aged. THERM Development GmbH specializes in the development of cooling system thermal performance digital twins. Such digital twins are suitable for the creation of thermal performance maps covering a wide range of operating conditions. The dry/wet hybrid cooling tower was modelled with the AEON thermal simulation software platform.
Energy consumption in Germany in 2023 – Electricity industry
AG Energiebilanzen
Primary energy consumption in Germany totalled 10,735 PJ or 366.3 million TCE (ton of coal equivalent) in 2023, a decrease of 8.1 % compared to the previous year. The level of energy consumption and its composition (energy mix) in 2023 continued to be characterised by the consequences of the war in Ukraine and the associated noticeably higher energy prices as well as growth losses and sectoral changes within the German economy. In addition, energy consumption continues to be influenced by political and regulatory requirements at national and European level. In 2023, the electricity industry was characterised by an overall weakening economy and mild weather conditions, but above all by the rise in prices for primary energies and the availability of fuels. Electricity consumption (gross domestic electricity consumption) is expected to have fallen by 4.2 % to 525.5 billion kWh. Electricity generation (gross electricity production) fell even more sharply by 11.1 %. Germany’s electricity exchange balance turned positive for the first time in many years with an import surplus of 11.8 billion kWh, following an export surplus of 27.3 billion kWh in 2022.
Review KELI 2024 – “Conference on Electrical Engineering, IC and Information Technology in Energy Supply”
vgbe energy
The KELI, which is held every two years, took place under the motto “Electrical engineering, control and information technology for sustainable energy supply”.
An interesting programme of lectures, put together by the vgbe programme committee in close cooperation with its partners ABB and Siemens energy, was offered to around 230 participants from Germany and abroad.
Editorial
Christopher Weßelmann
Editor in Chief vgbe energy
Flexibility in generation on the way
Dear readers of the vgbe energy journal,
The energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the need to mitigate climate change and transition to a sustainable energy future. At the heart of this transformation is the shift in energy supply from fossil fuels to zero or low emission sources. The intermittency of renewable energy sources poses a major challenge to ensuring a stable and reliable supply of electricity. The availability of dispatchable generation will play a crucial role in meeting these challenges and supporting the energy transition.
Renewables such as wind and solar are inherently intermittent. As the penetration of intermittent generation units increases, maintaining the balance between supply and demand becomes more complex. This is where dispatchable generation becomes essential. It can provide the flexibility needed to cover the residual load – the difference between total demand and the contribution of renewables – thus ensuring the stability and security of the grid.
Proven and new technologies are already making progress in this direction. Hydropower, including pumped storage, remains one of the most mature and widespread forms of renewable and dispatchable electricity generation. In addition, advances in battery storage technology are opening up new possibilities for energy storage and subsequent electricity generation. However, to achieve a low-carbon or zero-carbon energy system of the future, we need to go beyond these solutions. Hydrogen is emerging as a key player in the future energy landscape. Hydrogen can be produced by electrolysis, using surplus renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This ‘green hydrogen’ can then be stored and used on demand to generate electricity in fuel cells or internal combustion engines. Hydrogen’s versatility extends beyond power generation: it can also be used in transport, heating and industrial processes, playing a crucial role in a comprehensive decarbonisation strategy.
The development of a sustainable hydrogen economy is essential for the long-term success of the energy transition. This includes not only the expansion of green hydrogen production, but also the creation of the necessary infrastructure for its storage, transport and use. Governments and industry worldwide have recognised this potential and are investing heavily in hydrogen research, pilot projects and policy frameworks to support the introduction of hydrogen. The European Union’s hydrogen strategy, for example, aims to install at least 40 gigawatts of renewable hydrogen electrolysers by 2030, illustrating the scale of the ambition needed to make hydrogen a cornerstone of our future energy system.
Despite the promise of hydrogen and other new technologies, many challenges remain. Integrating high levels of intermittent renewable generation will require sophisticated grid management and market mechanisms to ensure that supply always matches demand. Digitalisation and smart grid technologies will play a crucial role, enabling real-time monitoring and control of energy flows, demand response and distributed energy sources. In addition, international cooperation and interconnected energy markets can help to balance supply and demand in different regions and increase the resilience of the grid.
The transition to a renewables-dominated energy system will also require significant investment in infrastructure and technology. Policymakers need to create a favourable regulatory environment that incentivises investment in renewables, storage and grid modernisation. Carbon pricing, subsidies for clean energy projects, and research and development grants are among the tools that can drive this transformation. At the same time, the social and economic impacts of the energy transition must be carefully managed to ensure that it is equitable and inclusive, providing opportunities and benefits for all.
In conclusion, the availability of electricity is a key element on the path to a sustainable energy future. As we move towards an energy system dominated by intermittent renewable sources, the ability to flexibly meet remaining demand and ensure security of supply without reliance on fossil fuels is paramount. Advances in hydropower, battery storage and the emerging hydrogen economy are paving the way for a clean, reliable and resilient energy system. However, realising this vision will require concerted efforts at the technological, regulatory and societal levels. By addressing these challenges and opportunities, we can achieve the energy transition and lay the foundations for a sustainable and secure energy future.