Of energy from renewable sources so much that prices fell below zero. May 8, Sunday, Germany set a new record in the generation of energy from renewable sources.
Thanks to Sunny and windy weather at the same time, the total production of energy from solar, wind, hydro and bioenergetically was about 55 GW. In total in the country this day was consumed 63 GW of energy. Thus, the share of renewable sources was about 87%. For a few hours the price went negative, which means that payments to consumers energy.
Lately, this situation is not something unique. Across Europe, these bursts of energy production happen more often. If from 2010 to 2014, the price was in the red only a few times in the past year this has happened dozens of times. The problem is that the market prices of energy in Europe are formed by the type of auction. Manufacturers ask his price, and buyers that logically, offer their own options. And if energy is too much, wholesale energy suppliers start to dump, and the prices sometimes go into minus, as it happened now.
The producers of “green” energy have benefits even at sub-zero prices — here you should consider subsidies for the production of clean energy. The problem is that often the surplus energy to put nowhere — “export” line can be too “narrow” and send the energy someplace to be. So energy producers are happy to get rid of excess even with the surcharge.
Image: AGORA ENERGIEWENDE
Interestingly, last year the share of renewable energy in Germany amounted to about 33%. This year, with the introduction of new wind farms, the share of the alternatives in the energy market increased. By 2050 Germany plans to increase the share of energy from renewable sources to 100%. And the same Denmark of vetroenergetiki put in some cases already more energy than it consumes the whole country. Therefore, the surpluses are exported in the same Germany, Norway and Sweden. Costa Rica also gets 99% of their energy from renewable sources.
What happened Sunday is not only a reason for joy. It also has negative aspects. For example, modern energy infrastructure of many countries is too inert to react to jumps and downs of energy generation. And if gas power plants can quickly “put out”, with nuclear and coal power stations wouldn’t do that.
This problem is more serious than it seems, as quickly the energy system of the country will not change. Perhaps in the future will start to develop an accumulation of “substations”, which will be able to smooth out such moments, but while this area is not too developed.
