Company Insight
Sponsored by EM-Power Europe
EM-Power Europe: How electricity flows regardless of the weather
The higher the share of wind and solar power in an energy system, the more challenging it is to balance these variable renewables.
There is a strong need to expand and digitalize the grid in order to monitor and control the flow of energy. The know-how for this is provided by EM-Power Europe.
Whether it’s blizzards in the U.S. or a prolonged drought in southern Europe – the weather is not a trivial topic reserved for small talk anymore, but a significant factor in our energy supply. Both the demand and the generation of electricity are increasingly weather-dependent, the International Energy Agency (IEA) states in their Electricity Market Report 2023. “In such a world, increasing the flexibility of the power systems while ensuring security of supply and resilience will be crucial,” the agency advises.
According to the IEA, despite the persistent growth in 2022, the share of variable renewable capacity in the total generation fleet remains below 25%, whereas in Europe it its 35%. In countries with a high share of wind and solar power, such as Germany and Denmark, variable sources already make up 60% of the total generation capacity.
As the energy transition progresses, power distribution is becoming more and more complex. Smart grids are needed in order to monitor power grids and control the flow of energy.
As the energy transition expands, challenges are increasing
The higher the share of wind and solar power, the more challenging it is to balance these variable renewables. Apart from the expansion of power grids, it also takes more storage capacities and an increase of demand-side flexibility. The demand for infrastructure forecasted by the IEA for their net zero emissions (NZE) scenario is enormous: The worldwide capacity of stationary battery storage systems is set to multiply from today’s 108 GWh to 3,100 GWh in 2030, spurred in particular by the increasing demand for flexibility of the power systems. The batteries of electric vehicles will represent an even larger flexibility potential of 5,500 GWh. The power grids will also need to be expanded massively by 2050: The transmission systems by 9.5 million km (+186%) and the distribution grids by 115 million km (nearly 165%). The average grid investments are projected to increase from 520 billion US dollars per year by 2030 to 1,034 billion per year between 2031–2050.
The smarter E Europe 2023 is expected to attract 1,600 exhibitors and 85,000 visitors.
Power grids are becoming intelligent
For the continued success of the energy transition, the sole amount of solar and wind turbines, number of electric vehicles and length of power lines will not be enough – it will all come down to their intelligent interaction. How to achieve this will be presented at EM-Power Europe, one of the four exhibitions of Europe’s largest platform for the energy industry The smarter E Europe at Messe München from June 14–16.
EM-Power Europe is focused on modernizing and digitalizing the power grid into a flexible smart grid, integrating prosumers, e-mobility and power-to-heat concepts into a holistic, renewable energy system, and the efficient use of renewable sources of energy. And of course, the weather is also of interest, as accurate supply and demand forecasts will be essential for a reliable power supply in the future.
EM-Power Europe, the international exhibition for energy management and integrated energy solutions, will be showcasing innovative technologies for a 24/7 climate-neutral energy supply to grid operators, utility companies, project developers, service providers and decision makers from industry, commerce and real estate. While the exhibition features both established companies and start-ups with their innovations for the grid of the future, the EM-Power Forum is the perfect setting for presenting their solutions to an expert audience. What’s more, EM-Power Europe 2023 will see the very first winners of the EM-Power AWARD honored.
The exhibition will be accompanied by the EM-Power Europe Conference that presents the perfect opportunity to discuss the smart integration of decentralized energy installations, grid management and flexibilities into the energy system of the future with international experts. This includes the question of how transmission and distribution grids can be stabilized given the volatile nature of power generated from renewable sources of energy and increased demand.
Three other energy exhibitions – Intersolar Europe, ees Europe and Power2Drive Europe – will take place in parallel to EM-Power Europe, providing the framework for exchange between the solar, storage and e-mobility sectors.
