Combination of renewable sources can stabilise weather-related power production

The combined used of onshore and offshore wind power, solar power and a European power network can significantly can stabilise weather-related power production during periods of little wind and sunshine, Germany’s National Meteorological Service (DWD) says in a press release. If renewable power sources are lumped together, output drops below ten percent of nominal capacity for 48 consecutive hours two times in a year, compared to 23 cases for onshore wind power only, the DWD says. If all of Europe is taken into account, the low-yield incidences are reduced to 0.2 cases per year. However, there could still be situations in Germany when wind and solar power feed only very little electricity into the grid, making reserve plants, storage capacities and international power trading necessary to guarantee grid stability.

Find the press release in German here.

See the CLEW factsheet How can Germany keep the lights on in a renewable energy future? for more information.