Hydro in Europe: Powering Renewables - Full Report - Eurelectric

Even though the permit process foresees public consultation, local communities and
other stakeholders are often not fully satisfied with the participation opportunities
offered by the formal planning process.
Existing communications outreach work have hence been intensified and took the
form of a round table, which brings together all important stakeholders, including
opponents to the project, to increase the transparency of the decision-making process.
Reactions, especially on the political level have been very positive so far.
2010 NREAP 2020
Wind-Onshore 27 GW 36 GW
Wind-Offshore 0.2 GW 10 GW
Photovoltaic 17 GW 52 GW
Biomass 6.3 GW 8.9 GW
Table 5 Existing and projected capacities for renewable energy sources in Germany.
Source: EURELECTRIC 2011, based on Power Statistics 2011; NREAPs; German Federal Ministry for the
Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
The future integration of these variable power quantities requires a swift extension of
national and European power storage capacities. The wind does not always blow and
the sun does not always shine at the exact moment when consumers’ power demands
are high. Consequently, in order to make renewable energy available at times of peak
demand, a large amount of storage capacity is required. Apart from the development
of smart grids and the implementation of flexible generation plants, electricity storage
facilities of any technology, such as pumped storage power plants, compressed-air
reservoirs, accumulators, etc. will be of critical importance.
Pumped storage power plants alone cannot cover the necessary storage demand in
the long term; research and investment into “new” storage technologies is necessary
too. However, it will take years before these technologies are marketable and can
make a similarly large contribution to system stability as pumped storage plants
already do today.
To support the development of new storage technologies, all obstacles must be
removed. Grid fees are one of these obstacles. Grid fees impede the construction of
new power storage facilities, restrict the operation of existing facilities and increase
the burden on power networks.
CASE STUDY 8 - Implementation of the EU WFD: challenges for hydropower
in the Weser river basin in Northern Germany
Most run-of river hydropower plants located along the Weser River were originally built
to generate the required electricity to operate the ship locks of the German Midland
channel.
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