Federal Network Agency

09/08/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/08/2023 07:47

Bundesnetzagentur launches consultation on climate-neutral network

Bundesnetzagentur launches consultation on climate-neutral network

Klaus Müller: "The path to climate neutrality passes through the grid."

Year of issue2023
Date of issue2023.09.08

The Bundesnetzagenturhas today started consulting on the second draft of the network development plan for the expansion of the electricity grid up to 2037 and 2045.

"This network development plan shows for the first time the electricity grid we need to make the energy transition complete," explained Klaus Müller, BundesnetzagenturPresident. "We are taking a very close look at what new power lines will be needed. But it is already clear that we will need a significant additional grid expansion by 2045."

The network development plan describes what is called the climate-neutral network, which is the extra high voltage network with which climate neutrality should be achieved by 2045.

The plan shows which transmission network is needed for a complete energy system transition to renewable energies.

Additional direct current lines necessary

The transmission system operators (TSOs) submitted the revised second draft of the network development plan to the Bundesnetzagenturon 12 June 2023. The plan contains a total of 6,200 kilometres of additional transmission routes. The TSOs have proposed five more direct current transmission lines and the construction of numerous alternating current transmission lines. They plan to reinforce another 6,000 kilometres of existing transmission routes.

The Bundesnetzagenturunderstands the need for five new direct current transmission lines and most of the other measures proposed by the TSOs. It stems from the rapidly growing need to transport electricity and what has been learned thus far from assessing individual measures.

The revised draft of the network development plan also includes a further 34 offshore grid connections for the planned expansion of offshore wind energy. The Bundesnetzagentur also sees this figure as necessary to achieve the expansion targets set out in the Offshore Wind Energy Act. The TSOs have announced that they will carry out some of these projects jointly or together with projects for other transmission lines.

Assessment of probable environmental impact

In addition to evaluating the network development plan itself, the Bundesnetzagenturalso assesses the plan's likely environmental impact and publishes an environmental report about its findings. In the report the Bundesnetzagenturassesses and also weighs alternatives to individual measures.

Due to extended legal provisions for strategic environmental assessment, the Bundesnetzagenturplans to conduct a public consultation. It is expected to take place during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Consultation

The public and public agencies can submit comments on the second draft of the network development plan until 20 November 2023. The Bundesnetzagentur will hold online information events alongside the consultation process on 13 and 17 October 2023. You can register through the following links:

October 13: www.netzausbau.de/1121100
October 17: www.netzausbau.de/1121106

The TSOs' network development plan and the Bundesnetzagentur's preliminary findings are available at the Bundesnetzagenturin Bonn until 20 October 2023. They have also been published online (in German) at www.netzausbau.de/nep.

Explanatory films about the network development plan can be found on YouTube at www.youtube.com/netzausbau.