The future of Germany's energy: demand and supply on collision course

[Trex]

A good example of people governing by their hearts rather than their heads. I suspect that a killing could be made by buying depressed nuke stock when the plants close down. In Germany, unlike California, demand-driven blackouts would probably come in mid-winter. The first couple of blackouts should reverse public opinion very quickly. When push comes to grunt, people will burn whales and baby seals rather than freeze.

Out of curiosity, how extensive is the European electrical grid? North America has, I know, almost one unified system.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Trex

A good example of people governing by their hearts rather than their heads. I suspect that a killing could be made by buying depressed nuke stock when the plants close down. In Germany, unlike California, demand-driven blackouts would probably come in mid-winter.

No, in summer, or when too many different producers from too many different ends feed their electricity into the powergrid simultaneously.

Out of curiosity, how extensive is the European electrical grid? North America has, I know, almost one unified system.

Germans used to think their powergrid is amongst the best in the world, and one of the most redundant system in Euorpe - we used to watch with smiling faces when there was another blackout in the US reported. But that grid was designed for diffrent demand and feeding-in patterns than those that have appeared over the past 10 years, and are to appear in the near future. Germany faced it's first major blackout since aeons three years ago, during the extreme record winter we had back then, and snow broke poles and cut wires all over the North, due to old, worn-out material. 50km NE of where I live, in regions around Osnabrück, friends of mine needed to live without electricity and heating for several days. Just one year before, their were first alarming signals during the record summer we had, water turbines failed due to low water levels, and ventilators and air conditioning were running day and night. And maybe around one year ago, there was another blackout that worked it's waythrough much of the European powergrid, starting in Germany by technical problems during a major powercable beeing cut off in a wrong way becasue it had to be deactivated for some huge sealiner passing under it when leaving the dock.

[Trex]

Let me rephrase my question. How interoperable, how interlinked, are you with the power grids of the rest of the EU?

I am, to be honest, most surprised at your statement that the most likely cause for a blackout is too much juice. It would seem as it that problem could be solved a lot more easily than too little.

[Tchocky]

http://www.ucte.org/

There are interconnectors between France/England and under the Irish Sea, too.

[Trex]

Thanks for that. Am I right in assuming therefore that this is not a purely Germany problem, but rather one that has the potential to affect all of Europe?

[CaptHawkeye]

Originally Posted by Trex

Thanks for that. Am I right in assuming therefore that this is not a purely Germany problem, but rather one that has the potential to affect all of Europe?

More like the whole world. I guess that's what happens when you build your society to rely upon constant economic growth.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Trex

Thanks for that. Am I right in assuming therefore that this is not a purely Germany problem, but rather one that has the potential to affect all of Europe?

If "all of Europe" means "significant parts of Europe", then yes, as my referene to that blackout that started in Germany (and within seconds reached through France as far as Spain) illustrated. It was a chain reaction of safety shutdowns that rolled like an avalanche. But how the system it is to be described in precise technical terms I cannot tell you, I am no specialist for these things. I only know that these systems are only redundant as long as voltage fluctuations (due to switching on and off certain parts of the grid when different powerplants vary their acivity) do not exceed a certain threshold level. If it goes beyond that level, it goes boom. The problem is to transport the energy via the grid over long distances, and to avoid to trigger these safeties when parts of the grid are switched on or off.

[Dan D]

Interesting movie (in English) about a research by the University of Kassel/Germany:
"Is it possible to supply Germany around-the-clock with 100% power from renewable energies?"