Modelling of Germany's 2035 climate neutral power system plans finds multitude of open tasks

The German government will have to significantly tighten measures within its energy and climate reform packages this year to achieve the target of a nearly 100-percent renewable power system by 2035, think tank Agora Energiewende has found in an analysis containing modelling by consultancies Prognos and Consentec. Even more speed will be needed in the expansion of wind and solar power capacities – both by accelerating planning procedures but also by securing the necessary investment in new renewable installations. Another focus will have to be on the construction of controllable power plants that are ready to be operated with hydrogen, Agora Energiewende said. For a renewable power system to work, an expansion of the transmission grid by 40 percent by 2035 is required, the calculations show.

According to the paper, the share of renewable electricity will be at 87 percent in 2035, with hydrogen plants contributing around seven percent and the rest coming from battery storage, pumped hydro and natural gas and some last conventional power plants (e.g. waste, oil).

The new German government announced in January 2022 its new target of an 80 percent share of renewables in the power system by 2030 and nearly 100 percent by 2035. Germany has campaigned for a predominantly decarbonised power sector in its role as G7 presidency which is expected to lead to a corresponding declaration from the G7 summit starting in Bavaria on Sunday.