There are around 900 municipal utilities in Germany. They supply us with energy and operate the distribution networks to which over 95% of all renewable energy generation is connected. The majority of the energy transition is taking place here, and the role played by municipal utilities and distribution network operators is correspondingly large. The Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) represents the interests of the municipal utilities and waste management industry in Germany. Rainer Stock is deputy head of the energy industry department and head of the network management division at VKU e.V. With his experience, he is supporting the conference on future electricity networks (Tagung zukünftige Stromnetze) in Berlin at the end of January as technical director. In the run-up to the event, we asked him how the range of tasks for municipal utilities is changing as a result of the energy transition and how grid expansion can keep pace with the boom in renewables.
Info and tickets for the Tagung zukünftige Stromnetze: https://www.zukunftsnetz.net
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The Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU e. V.) is a German interest group that represents the interests of municipal enterprises vis-à-vis legislative bodies at state, federal and European level and is therefore considered a lobbying association.
Rainer Stock is deputy head of the energy industry department and head of the network economy division at VKU. In addition, he acts as technical director of the 2023 conference on future power grids.