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Archived news and press releases from the project time WindNODE

 

Press release

Together towards 100 % renewable energy

“WindNODE – showcasing smart energy systems from north-eastern Germany” presents successful mid-term review

(c) WindNODE/Jan Pauls
Der Sächsische Staatsminister für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Verkehr, Martin Dulig, beim WindNODE-Konsortialtreffen 2019 (c)WindNODE/Jan Pauls

Berlin, Zwickau. Over 150 participants accepted the invitation of Saxony’s State Ministry for Economy, Labour and Traffic and the university of applied sciences Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau to the annual gathering of the WindNODE energy transition project in Zwickau. The Saxon State Minister for Economy, Labour and Traffic, Martin Dulig, as well as professor Mirko Bodach, vice dean of the faculty of electrical engineering at the Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau, also took part in the debate. Conclusion after two days of intensive exchanges: with WindNODE, the north-east of Germany remains true to its energy tradition and at the same time shows how the energy transition can be a future opportunity for an entire region. 

 

For two years now, over 70 partners from the economy, research and civil society have been working together on the project “WindNODE – showcasing smart energy systems from north-eastern Germany”. The main concern is the crucial question of the energy transition: how can the power grids be kept stable even when up to 65 per cent of the electricity will be generated from renewable sources before long? The yield of solar and wind power depends on the weather and therefore fluctuates strongly. The WindNODE project region in north-eastern Germany is particularly suited for this study as a “living lab”, as over 56 per cent of the electricity consumed here is already generated from renewable sources.

Now that half of the project period lies behind us, the experts presented their findings, drew up a balance and discussed the timetable for the next two years in Zwickau. Unanimous conviction: after 24 months of groundwork and development, “harvest time” has now come: many subprojects have exciting results to show.

WindNODE is not only a laboratory for technologies, but also for legislation and regulation: a so-called “experimentation clause”, the SINTEG regulation, should help avoid that the project partners incur economic disadvantages when testing the flexible control of power flows. At the same time, important experience is gained for the further elaboration of the regulatory framework. 

Through a network of over 30 “visitor sites”, those interested can obtain more specific information on a subproject or a question from WindNODE. In Zwickau itself, the Ubineum invites visitors to view the innovative solutions in a model home. The power station in the basement of the building furthermore shows future-oriented concepts for the efficient and sustainable supply of electricity and heat or cold.

The host of the WindNODE consortium gathering, Martin Dulig, Saxon State Minister for Economy, Labour and Traffic, stated: “WindNODE is more than a classic research project: it is a showcase and living lab that seeks to develop transferable model solutions, not only for the own region but also for others, as well as make the energy transition tangible and understandable.”

Prof. dr. Mirko Bodach, head of the chair for electrical engineering / renewable energy and vice dean of the faculty of electrical engineering at the Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau, underlined: “We are especially proud that in the scope of the WindNODE project, we can offer a model for future, smart low voltage grids with flexible energy storage that has been verified in the living lab, thus paving the way for an ‘all electric society’ by collaborating in the network.”

The general project leader of WindNODE, Markus Graebig, also expressed his satisfaction with the conference: “With WindNODE, we have for the first time created a large-scale living lab in all of eastern Germany. Here, we are developing transferable model solutions for the smart energy system of the future. But a living lab means more than market and technology: it is an agile network that consists of hundreds of experts. It invites people to engage in dialogue and to participate, and it acts as a prominent advertising medium for the competencies of our energy region. It provides experience and expectations for adjustments of the legal and regulatory framework, and, last but not least, it is an encouragement that reminds us of the opportunities of the energy transition for innovation, export and new jobs.”

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