Leveraging renewable potential – Regionalization as the key
On September 15, 2022, the “Industry meets Renewables” conference took place in Husum under the umbrella of Federal Minister Robert Habeck. In addition to short-term support measures, the industry needs renewable energies more urgently than ever. Prof. Hirschl spoke about the prerequisites for a rapid transformation to leverage the potential.
He outlined the target image of a regional electricity system: It would be embedded in regional grid networks consisting of mergers of producer and consumer regions. Also, it requires system-efficient regional business models for flexibility and participation, many energy communities and cooperatives as well as a high proportion of municipal financial participation in the plants. This creates regional added value, employment and acceptance, and also creates the conditions for a resilient system that can ensure a regional, renewable minimum supply in the event of a blackout. Prof. Hirschl also sees the secure prospect of participation and a financial benefit for the local authorities as an important prerequisite for the necessary step that is currently pending: the provision of land through the large-scale implementation of the Wind Area Requirements Act (Windflächenbedarfsgesetzes), in the regional plans and the plans of the local authorities.
