German disaster assistance office bets on renewables, batteries, microgrids for blackout protection

German companies and public authorities should use a mix of renewables, battery storage, fuel cells and microgrids in the event of a power cut, the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) proposed in its updated emergency guidelines for blackouts. "With the update of our emergency power supply guidelines, we are looking at options beyond the classic diesel generator set," said Christine Eismann, responsible for critical infrastructure protection at the BBK. The aim is to make the emergency power supply in companies and public authorities "more robust and reliable by means of new technologies," the office said.

The electrification of heating, mobility and industry means more segments of society are dependent on a reliable supply of electricity. Meanwhile, increasing extreme weather events due to climate change and the more frequent occurrence of hacker attacks increase the probability of power outages, the BBK said. To increase resilience and minimise the consequences of a power outage for communities across the country, companies need to determine to what extent their infrastructure is dependent on electricity, as well as where diesel generators and battery storage are needed in addition to where renewables would be appropriate, it added.

"We can use the current transformation in energy generation and grid development as an opportunity to position ourselves better and more flexibly than before," Eismann said. German power supply is among the most reliable in the world, with the average length of power outages in 2022 being 12.2 minutes per connected end consumer, slightly down from 12.7 minutes in 2021.