Working at the Base – and at the Limit: How Municipal Utilities Are Implementing the Energy Transition Locally

The smarter E Podcast Episode 121 | January 12, 2023 | Language: German

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

Timeline:

02.29: How are municipal utilities dealing with the current high cost of gas and electricity?
06.38: By 2030, we need to triple the pace of renewables expansion if we are to meet the 80% RE share target for electricity. But how can the expansion of the electricity distribution grid keep pace?
13.44: A large part of the energy transition in the coming years will take place in the distribution network. As the number of connected plants increases, so will the number of grid bottlenecks. What does this mean for distribution grid operators?
17.07: The German Federal Network Agency wants to create clarity for controllable wallboxes and heat pumps. How should and can this be done in concrete terms?

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 Rainer Stock & the VKU e.V.

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.

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