How power plants get us safely through the dark doldrums
We have engine and turbine power plants that reliably provide electricity even when there is no sunshine, little wind and the storage facilities are empty.
Power plants get us through the dark doldrums
When there is hardly any electricity available from wind and solar power during a dark doldrums, the Conventional power plants to cover the residual load. Today, it is mainly Flexible gas and modern motorised power plants This is because they can ramp up within a few minutes to an hour. Their operating time depends directly on the duration of the dark doldrums: from a few hours to several days, whereby they adjust their output according to demand. In the future, the composition will continue to change: Highly flexible, quickly controllable plants such as modern gas-fired power plants and the use of flexibilised bioenergy will be used more frequently and for a much shorter but more targeted period of time in order to Load peaks intercept. This means that power plants are increasingly becoming precisely controllable „gap fillers“ that only run when renewable electricity from fluctuating generation plants and storage facilities is not available in sufficient quantities, thus providing an alternative source of electricity. Reliable supply even during longer periods of darkness.
In addition, the existing gas storage facilities can be as a kind of long-term energy storage be considered. Power plants merely convert the stored energy back into electricity and heat.
The technology is here!
The necessary technologies are available and are constantly improving. What is coming? Even better engines and even better turbines, as well as larger engines and turbines that already work like small turbines and engines. Hydrogen can use. In addition, there may also be Fuel cells, which are now also technologically available but are still significantly more expensive than engines and turbines.
What will change above all are the Fuels, which are utilised.
As power plants consume expensive fuels, they are only used when technologies with lower fuel costs or without fuel costs are not sufficient to cover the residual load in the dark doldrums.
Operating engines & turbines with biogas & hydrogen
A power plant can, for example, be a large combined cycle gas turbine power plant (CCGT) such as Uniper's Irsching 5 power plant in Bavaria with a gross output of 875 MW, or an engine power plant consisting of many interconnected engines such as the Coastal power plant of Stadtwerke Kiel.
Hydrogen engines have been around for years. These are engines for generating electricity that can use both natural gas and hydrogen.
There are also relatively small hydrogen turbines such as the 34 MW turbine from Kawasaki (source: Kawasaki), which can be operated in a turbine park.
In addition, there are many thousands of biogas engines, which together generate several gigawatts of power plant output in Germany. Through a Flexibilisation could significantly increase the usable output in dark doldrums.
Increase controllable capacities through biogas flexibilisation
In Germany, biogas contributes Relevant for power generation with. According to the Federal Statistical Office, biogas accounted for 6.5 per cent in 2024. The capacity potential of biogas during dark doldrums can be utilised by Flexibilisation be raised. Today, many plants run continuously, even when no electricity is needed. It would be smarter to convert biogas into electricity primarily when Prices and demand high especially during a dark doldrums. This is achieved through larger gas storage facilities and More powerful motors („multiple superstructure“): A 1 MW biogas plant can thus become a 3, 5 or even 8 MW plant. The power available from biogas during dark doldrums could therefore be multiplied.
Flexibilisation could thus increase the existing cumulative output of biogas plants from the current level of around 6 GW raise significantly.
The Biogas Association estimates, that 12 GW are possible by 2030 and 27 GW in the long term. The expert network for the flexibilisation of biogas estimates the potential to be significantly higher. They estimate that; even more in the long term.
Long-term storage Biomethane can be converted into electricity in specially provided motors and turbines during dark doldrums, as well as admixed in gas-fired power plants become.
„Decentralised gas engines are the optimal solution in dark doldrums because they provide secure power when there is a lack of wind and sun. Our systems can be realised in just a few months - and the German industry would be able to install several gigawatts of them per year. At the same time, they can already be operated entirely with renewable gases up to 100 % hydrogen and respond to market signals within seconds.“
Safely through the dark doldrums: the two-page guide
The fact paper "Dark doldrums" shows on two pages how dark doldrums can be overcome today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. Which fuels will we use? Which technologies will be used? How will battery storage help? How will biogas develop over the next few years? We have summarised the most important points on this website for you.