Flexibility Technologies and Measures in the German and Danish Power Systems

In Europe, as coal and nuclear scale down and are replaced by variable renewable energy, flexibility measures will play an increasingly important role in the power system. In China, as the power system is transferring to a new system with new energy at the centre, it also requires more flexibility to safeguard energy security.

Over the course of 2021, dena and GIZ worked with Germany-based Energynautics GmbH under the BMWK supported project Sino-German Energy Transition to quantify the cost of implementing flexibility measures, analyse the available potential in Germany and summarize past and present policies and measures. While the study reflects the status quo, it also indicates need for the development of the power system to reach climate neutrality by identifying viable options (technical, demand-side, system operation, market design), and provides valuable input for ongoing policy debates.

On 18 January 2021, the project partners dena and GIZ organized a joint workshop with the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) to highlight the development and status of flexibility use in the power market in Germany and Denmark. During the workshop experts from dena and DEA presented the main findings of their reports. Experts from IEA and dena Grid Study III provided supporting information on the overall role of flexibility in the energy system and the relation to integrated planning of energy infrastructure. The workshop also focused on the importance of flexibility for TSOs and highlight current practices in Germany and Denmark.­­­­

Download the project research report: Flexibility Technologies and Measures in the German Power System

Downloads of workshop presentations:

• International perspectives on power system flexibility
• Flexibility technologies and measures in the German power system
• Costs of flexibility technologies and measures in the German power system
• Development and role of flexibility in the Danish power system
• How does the TSO in Germany use flexibility measures?
• Balancing in a system dominated by renewables – Challenges and solutions
• Dena Grid Study III – Impulses for System Thinking