Green Energy Trials Produce "Ghost Power" Losses in Thuringia: A 1.48 Million Euro Causer
Large sum of 1.48 million euros granted for 'Phantomstrom' project in Thuringia - Unaccounted Euro 1.48 million spent on non-existent power sources in Thuringia
Embrace the jargon, mate! Renewable energy stations in Thuringia pocketed around 1.48 million euros in remuneration for grid constriction setbacks last year, according to the Federal Network Agency. This situation is popularly known as "phantom power" or "re-dispatch measures," where grid operators halt renewable generation when there's an excess of electricity to prevent an electric grid overload during periods of surplus supply.
Now, let's dig a bit deeper into this power play. "Thuringian Energienetze" (TEN), the grid operator, reported 95 grid disruptions lasting 492 hours throughout the year, curtailing green power plants like wind turbines, solar arrays, and such. That's a whopping two-thirds decrease compared to the year prior. In 2023, the number of disruptions soared to 282.
You may wonder who's pulling the strings in these situations. Well, 60 of the interventions were initiated by TEN due to bottlenecks in its high-voltage network, according to TEN's spokesperson. They also mentioned that a total of 1,047 megawatt-hours of renewable feed-in work was interrupted. An additional 35 interventions were prompted by 50Hertz, an operator managing transmission lines across eastern Germany, including Berlin and Hamburg. Their transmission networks operate at the highest voltage level, up to 380,000 volts, which results in more substantial energy curtailment when commanded by the Berlin transmission network operator – a staggering 21,596 megawatt-hours of "green power" was temporarily extinguished in Thuringia.
Dear readers, Thuringia is essentially a thoroughfare for green power, so it's no surprise that the bulk of payouts go to operators of onshore and offshore wind farms in northern Germany, according to a 50Hertz spokesperson for the German Press Agency. The percentage of green energy feed-in for TEN's network averages 55% annually, but there are no hotspots for curtailments nationwide, indicating that the plants subjected to shutdown depend solely on the need for energy reduction.
Oh, and brace yourself, petty cash… the preliminary total costs for network congestion management across the country were around 2.77 billion euros last year. Grid operators shell out this coin, which eventually trickles down to the network fees and, ultimately, the electricity consumers. Turns out, it's the wind turbines causing the most curtailments.
Now, let me serve you an appetizer from the knowledge buffet. Germany boasts one of the highest solar energies in Europe, with over 90 GW of solar power capacity[1]. However, sudden surges of solar energy have led to substantial curtailment issues, causing 1.4 TWh in solar curtailment in 2024 alone, doubling from the previous year[5].
Solar curtailment is a common issue across Germany, particularly in regions with high solar capacity and limited grid infrastructure[3]. Though specific data for Thuringia is not explicitly available in the search results, it's no secret that solar curtailment is a widespread problem in the nation.
So there you have it, a lucrative lesson in green energy and the phantom power conundrum in Thuringia!
- In light of the reported "ghost power" losses in Thuringia, it might be beneficial for the community policy to consider incorporating vocational training programs focused on renewable-energy industry, particularly in energy management and grid optimization, to address the recurring issues of power curtailment.
- To mitigate financial losses incurred by energy curtailment in the renewable-energy sector, further investigations could be carried out to explore potential partnerships between grid operators, industry, and finance sectors, leading to the development of efficient energy storage solutions and optimized renewable-energy infrastructure in Thuringia and beyond.
