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by Nils Quak, Jan Aengenvoort, Hendrik Sämisch, Jochen SchwillSeptember 25, 2018
Dark city during a blackout period due to the weather phenomenon Dunkelflaute

Once conventional power plants are taken offline, the market for flexibility will become more lucrative – especially as marginal costs for renewable energy power production continue to drop. Power producers will look beyond simple power production to generate revenues. The resulting competition on the flexibility markets will mean reduced prices for flexibility and better flexibility supply.

Currently, some flexibility options are too expensive: pumped-storage power plants are an example. But as mentioned in the previous point, when the need for flexibility rises and creates a more lucrative flexibility market, these flexibility options may become profitable once again.

Battery technology is witnessing its largest cost drop since the technology was invented. In the foreseeable future, both stationary and mobile battery solutions will be available in large quantities.

Offers great potential for mastering the challenges of a dunkelflaute. Whether the gas network itself is used as a storage possibility, or dedicated storage solutions such as electrolysis of wind energy – these options are already available. This also includes demand response management of electrical heating systems, or intelligent charging and discharging of batteries used in electro mobility.

In the future, securing power provision will not fall to each individual country, but will become a pan-European task. Power shortfalls will not be solved nationally, but transnationally. Picture hydropower from Sweden, solar energy from Spain, or wind parks in the North Sea: A densely-meshed power grid will help balance out many grid instabilities.

Nils Quak from Next Kraftwerke.

Nils Quak

Marketing Manager

Jan Aengenvoort from Next Kraftwerke

Jan Aengenvoort

Head of Communications & Market Research

Hendrik Saemisch is one of the co-founders of Next Kraftwerke.

Hendrik Sämisch

CEO Next Kraftwerke

Jochen Schwill is one of the founders of Next Kraftwerke.

Jochen Schwill

Founder Next Kraftwerke