Integration of renewable energy sources into the electricity system with new storage and flexibility options

Abstract

The integration of renewable energy sources is one of the key challenges for the transition of the energy supply chain towards a low carbon society. Due to the intermittency of wind and solar power additional storage and flexibility is required for their integration into the electricity system. Based on a scenario analysis for Germany, the economic and environmental effects of flexibility from electrical cooling as an example for demand side management in a smart grid as well as traditional flexibility from pumped storage power plants is evaluated with the PowerFlex model developed by Oko-Institut. In the 2030 scenario with new flexibility, about 500GWh of renewable electricity could be integrated in addition which leads to cost reduction effects as well as a decrease of carbon dioxide emissions.