Technology requirements for the electricity grid by 2045
By 2045, Germany’s electricity grid will require more than 500,000 kilometers of cable and approximately 500,000 transformers to meet growing demands. This is the key finding of a demand study conducted by the University of Wuppertal on behalf of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) and the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (ZVEI).
The integration of renewable energy systems, storage facilities, heat pumps, data centers, and charging stations will necessitate significant expansion, reinforcement, and renewal of Germany’s electricity grid. In addition to investments in capital and skilled labor, substantial amounts of technology, including cables and transformers, will be required to support this transformation.
The study reveals that the distribution grid will account for 50 to 80 percent of the overall equipment demand, including:
• Low-Voltage Cables: Over 500,000 kilometers of new installations needed.
• Transformers: Approximately 500,000 units for medium-to-low voltage switching, representing nearly 80 percent of the current stock.
• High-to-Medium Voltage Transformers: Over 5,000 units must be installed, upgraded, or replaced—roughly 70 percent of the existing stock.
Reasons for the high demand:
On the one hand, many grid components have reached the end of their service life and need to be replaced, on the other hand, the green transformation, increasing electrification and the growing share of renewable energies are placing ever greater demands on the electricity grid. “The electricity grid needs to be restructured now, with sufficient transport capacities and efficient utilization through digitalization in order to guarantee a secure power supply at all times,” say BDEW and ZVEI. This requires high levels of investment and binding, constructive cooperation between all parties involved.
Source: 50,2 Magazine for smart grids