How Do We Design the Electricity Grids of the Future? Challenges and Solutions

The smarter E Podcast Episode 158 | November 30, 2023 | Language: German

Everyone probably knows the frustrating feeling of being stuck in an endless waiting loop. Unfortunately, this doesn't just apply to calls to insurance companies or customer service centres. 'Please hold the line' also affects our electricity grids, which are increasingly waiting for the urgently needed connection. The energy transition is stalling because grid expansion cannot keep pace with the rapid expansion of renewable energies and electrification. In this episode, we talk about the challenges and solutions that will also be discussed at the Future Electricity Grids 2024 conference in Berlin. Prof Dr. Jochen Kreusel and Dr. Philipp Strauß provide an insight into the current status quo and the latest developments in electricity grids.

Timeline:

02:00 The slow pace of grid expansion was a much-discussed topic at the 2023 Grid Conference. What has happened since then?
06:31 Transmission or distribution networks – what are the bigger challenges? And why?
10:49 As grid expansion is simply not happening fast enough, smart solutions to make better use of the existing distribution grid are becoming increasingly important. What are the latest developments in this area?
19:26 System stability is also an important topic at the Grid Conference. What are the latest developments?

About The smarter E Podcast

The smarter E podcast is all about the current trends and developments in a renewable, decentralized and digital energy industry. Our moderators Tobias Bücklein and Zackes Brustik welcome and interview personalities who shape our industry and drive developments forward. A new episode is published every Thursday.

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About Prof. Dr. Jochen Kreusel

Jochen Kreusel, Global Head of Market Innovation, Hitachi Energy.

Jochen Kreusel is Global Head of Market Innovation at Hitachi Energy. Previously, he was responsible for the ABB Group's Smart Grids programme, where he held various management positions since 1994. At RWTH Aachen University, he teaches "Energy Economics in Liberalised Electricity Markets". He contributes his expertise on grids, sectors and intelligent control to the Steering Committee of the European Commission's Smart Grids Task Force and the Governing Board of the European Technology and Innovation Platform Smart Networks for the Energy Transition (ETIP SNET) and has been President of the European Association of Electrical Grid Equipment Suppliers, T&D Europe, since March 2023.

About Dr. Philipp Strauß

Dr. Philipp Strauß, Deputy Director, Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE.

Dr. Philipp Strauß is Deputy Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology IEE. He is also spokesman for the board of DERlab (European Distributed Energy Resources Laboratories e.V.), an association of over 30 research institutes and companies working in the field of smart grids and decentralised energy generation.

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Conference Speaker Overview

All speakers of EM-Power Europe Conference at a glance.

Industry Voices

Jochen Schwill, CEO Next Kraftwerke

"Our virtual power plant connects solar and wind farms, electricity storage systems, Power-to-X installations and more. This allows us to help balance out fluctuations in energy supply and demand. With its focus on smart renewable energy, EM-Power is the perfect platform for us to showcase what we have to offer.”

Industry Voices

Frauke Thies, Executive Director, smartEn (Smart Energy Europe)

"Prosumers are playing an increasingly important role in the energy transition. By generating, consuming or storing electricity in a self-distributed manner, they ensure a balance between the supply and demand of renewable energies in a smart grid. At EM-Power Europe, the topic will get the attention it deserves."

Industry Voices

Robert Busch, Managing Director Bundesverband Neue Energiewirtschaft

"To drive forward the energy transition, electricity, heat and transport sectors must be coupled. This is the only way to efficiently integrate renewables into the energy system via load shifting, storage and power-to-X technologies. EM-Power Europe will show how sector coupling can be implemented in neighborhoods."

Industry Voices

Hans Korteweg, Geschäftsführer bei COGEN Europe

Cogeneration is evolving into the backbone of a decentralized, integrated energy system where energy will be generated and consumed at a local or distributed level. We support EM-Power Europe as a partner because all stakeholders of a decentralized energy system come together here.