Energy Security in Focus: No Need to Fear the Dunkelflaute!
What happens when wind and sun simultaneously supply little power in Germany? Our experts Dr. Thomas Schöb and Dr. Jann Weinand were recently featured on the radio to explain these so-called "Dunkelflauten" (dark doldrums) to the wider public. Their message: Our future greenhouse gas-neutral energy system is well-calculated and planned for to guarantee supply security at all times.
Current Backup and the Path to Greenhouse Gas Neutrality (Dr. Thomas Schöb)
Dr. Thomas Schöb explained on ARD Audiothek that we currently still secure our energy supply against fluctuations using coal and gas power plants. He discussed whether dunkelflaute periods will be a problem in the future, what PV systems and wind turbines can still achieve in winter, and what measures we need for the transition to a greenhouse gas-neutral future to succeed.
- Listen to Thomas Schöb's contribution (ARD Audiothek): Listen here (German only)
Hydrogen as the Backbone of Supply Security (Dr. Jann Weinand)
For long-term stability during extended Dunkelflaute periods, hydrogen will play a central role. Dr. Jann Weinand explained on MDR that flexible, hydrogen-based power plants, supplemented by biomass and biogas plants, will form the backbone of supply security.
In a scenario for 2045, "around 50 Gigawatts of hydrogen gas turbines are planned as the cost-optimal solution," which can overcome even an extreme scenario like "a two-week cold dark doldrums in January." He emphasises that European coordinated system planning involving hydrogen, biomass, and power grids is crucial, and the impact on overall costs remains low, even with three-week doldrums.
- Read and listen to Jann Weinand's contribution (MDR Wissen): Read and listen here (German only)