News
Consentec enhances consulting team
Since June 2023, Janina Schwarz has joined Consentec's assistant team. And since July 2023, Jonas Derichs has joined Consentec's consulting team as a Junior Consultant. We warmly welcome Janina and Jonas.
23.08.2023
Publications
Consentec supports the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) in designing a proactive “Using-instead-of-Curtailing” instrument
On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), Consentec, in collaboration with further partners, is supporting the discussions of the "Platform for Climate-Neutral Power Systems" (PKNS) with scientific expertise in designing a proactive "Using-instead-of-Curtailing" instrument for heat loads and electrolyzers. The objective is to auction surplus electricity that cannot be integrated into the power system due to grid constraints. For several years, there has been a political demand for a tool to channel otherwise curtailed electricity into meaningful utilization. Thus far, no convincing approach has been developed that can reduce curtailment while remaining free from misincentives and compatible with the existing electricity market design. The instrument developed on behalf of the BMWK has been designed in a way to minimize potentially problematic interactions and unintended effects that could exacerbate grid constraints. Our contribution is available in the form of an input paper (in German) on the BMWK's website.
11.08.2023
Interims report relating to the platform for a climate-neutral power system of the BMWK and the coalition parliamentary parties published
Consentec supports the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) in cooperation with further partners with its scientific expertise on the platform for a climate-neutral power system (in German: Plattform klimaneutrales Stromsystem – PKNS). The coalition agreement of the current government parties set up this platform as a stakeholder process for developing approaches that will be applied for the electricity market design in a largely climate-neutral electricity system. The substantive discussion so far has taken place in various working groups with Consentec supporting the working group "Flexible Capacities" and "Locational Signals" providing some technical input. The first interim report (de) being published reproduces the discussion on the PKNS and describes the main takeaways emerged from the previous sessions.
09.08.2023
Study demand side options to strengthen security of supply in Switzerland published
In cooperation with ZHAW, Consentec has investigated for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy how consumers could contribute to strengthen the security of supply / resource adequacy in Switzerland through sustained load reduction or load shifting and which instruments could be used to leverage possible potentials. In particular, a concrete design proposal for a demand reserve to combat emerging electricity shortages was developed. Alternatively, approaches were analyzed on how market price signals for a larger number of consumers could become an efficient incentive signal. The study is available online.
05.07.2023
Case study for the planned Grid Booster pilot projects
Fluence commissioned Consentec to perform a case study for the planned Grid Booster pilot projects and analyze which additional services could be provided by Grid Booster batteries without causing any limitations to the battery’s primary transmission asset use case. Besides ancillary services like the provision of inertia, reactive power, short-circuit power and the contribution to network restoration, possibilities of an intermittent participation in energy wholesale markets are considered. Furthermore, the study highlights the required changes to today’s operational and regulatory procedures for realizing the provision of these additional services.
16.03.2023
Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection has published the report of the Federal Network Agency on the status and development of resource adequacy
The Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection has published the report of the Federal Network Agency (in German: Bundesnetzagentur) on the status and development of resource adequacy. The report provided by the Federal Network Agency is based on the requirements of article 51 of the Energy Act. It relies on the results of two independent scientific analyses. One of these two reports was provided by Consentec in cooperation with the Institute of Energy Economics and Rational Energy Use (IER) and the research institute for energy economics and industry (Forschungsstelle für Energiewirtschaft e.V. FfE). The assessments to which the report refers have not yet been published. We will inform you as soon as it is available. This is the report (de) of the Bundesnetzagentur. Furthermore, this is the associated press release (de) including the recommendations for action derived by the Federal Government.
10.02.2023
Grid Boosters as innovative solution to optimize power grids – How Storage as Transmission Assets increase the utilization of transmission lines in EHV grids
Fluence commissioned Consentec to investigate the potential of grid boosters as an innovative solution to optimize power grids by increasing the utilization of transmission lines in EHV grids. The study explores the innovative concept and operational model of German grid booster projects and how similar projects can drive socio-economic value in other power grids around the world.
13.01.2023
Consentec enhances consulting team
Effective December 2022, Alexander Hobert joins the consulting team of Consentec as junior consultants. We warmly welcome Alexander as a colleague in our team.
07.12.2022
Consentec enhances consulting team
Effective November 2022, Dr Moritz Schillinger and Moritz Maercks join the consulting team of Consentec as junior consultants. We warmly welcome our new colleagues.
18.11.2022
Consentec enhances consulting team
Effective September 2022, Johanna Siekmann and Max Wertenbruch join the consulting team of Consentec as junior consultants. We give Johanna and Max a warm welcome.
22.09.2022