The relevance of energy storages for an autarky of electricity supply ...

3.2.2 Supply Side
Which storage power plant is used to provide electricity depends on the purpose and
the lifetime of the plant. In this context, the electricity production is differentiated to
serve a certain demand: Base load, intermediate load or peak load. Base load covers
a certain demand, which is independent from fluctuations and therefore produces
continuously, almost 24 hours a day. This usually amounts to 30 – 50 % load of
installed capacity. Base load is mainly covered by hydropower in Austria.
Intermediate load covers demand above base load, which varies partly. Therefore,
the produced electricity from intermediate load has to be adjusted up to a certain
amount. 20 – 30 % of load of installed capacity amounts to this part. A sudden
increase in demand above that is served by peak load plants, which have to deliver
electricity very fast (10 – 20 %). The remaining 10 – 20 % are reserve load.
(Neupert, 2009; Edison, 2011)
Each country has a specific energy mix. As can be seen in the figure below, the
biggest part of electricity supply in Austria comes from hydropower, followed by
fossil fuels. In total, renewable energy carriers including hydropower and biogenic
energy carriers constitute to around 60 % of Austria’s electricity supply.
18%
33%
Total electricity supply – year 2010
6%
1%
31%
0% 5% 1%
3%
Run-off river hydropower>10MW Stored hydropower>10MW Run-off river hydropower