Integration of fluctuating renewable energy sources by the convergent use of electricity and gas grids

The high volatility and limited predictability of renewable electricity generation lead to an increasing decoupling of electricity production and consumption. The energy system is rapidly changing from a supply-driven to a consumption-driven structure. Taken as a whole, the difference between the rising generation of fluctuating renewable energy sources and the reduced capacity of conventional power plants covering electricity supply gaps will cause problems in maintaining the security of supply in future.

Therefore, the crucial point is the development of cost-effective energy storage technologies and capacities with minimal energy losses. Within the project "KonStGas - integration of fluctuating renewable energy sources by convergent use of electricity and gas grids", 13 research institutions and three grid operators have joined forces under the leadership of the DBI Gastechnologisches Institut in Freiberg, Germany. The consortium plans to investigate, technically and economically, the opportunities that arise from the coupling of electricity and gas grids.

The project partners analyse the electricity and gas grid in order to identify the advantages and potentials of a coupling of the two transport systems for energy storage. In doing so, the research focus is on capacities for converting electricity from renewable energy sources into renewable gas by electrolysis and methanation ("Power-to-Gas"). Only an analysis of the entire energy system provides a deeper insight into all market processes and prevents potentially wrong preferences for particular parts of the system.

Research focuses at IIP (KIT)

• Analyses of the utilisation of the transport grid, taking into account regional developments in the areas of expansion of renewable energies and conventional generation, electricity consumption and grid expansion
• Further development of the model PERSEUS-NET with the aim of deriving economically reasonable, regional development paths for grid and generation