From pv magazine Germany
On behalf of green energy cooperative Green Planet Energy, consulting firm Enervis investigated the potential effects of heat pumps and electric cars on electricity prices, CO₂ reductions, and the use of renewable energy sources. The study, “Flexible Use of Heat Pumps and Electric Vehicles – Analysis of Energy Economic Benefits,” concludes that targeted operational control, oriented, among other things, towards dynamic electricity tariffs, can make “the energy transition more efficient overall and electricity more affordable for everyone,” according to Carolin Dähling, head of policy and communications at Green Planet Energy.
The study analyzes and quantifies the well-known effects of using cars and heat pumps for increased flexibility in the electricity grid. Energy consumption would be deliberately shifted from the usual morning and evening peak hours to midday. A statement from Green Planet Energy states that there are no disadvantages for the affected households: “Intelligent controls ensure that the heat pumps preheat, for example, via buffer storage.” For electric cars, it is possible to specify the time by which their batteries should be charged.
The study identifies concrete achievable results of such an approach: The number of hours with negative electricity prices could be reduced by an average of 110 per year between 2025 and 2035, with corresponding effects on the profitability of wind and photovoltaic systems. The amount of energy lost due to shutdowns could be reduced by six terawatt hours per year, “and the use of expensive, climate-damaging natural gas power plants would also decrease.”
These factors would also impact electricity prices on the exchange. According to the study, consumption flexibility can reduce base load prices by €3.60 per megawatt hour and peak prices by €6.20 per megawatt hour, i.e., by 0.36 and 0.62 cents per kilowatt hour, respectively. The average day-ahead spread, i.e., the difference between the highest and lowest prices, will therefore decrease by around €20 per megawatt hour. The study estimates the CO2 savings achievable through the reduced use of gas-fired power plants at 0.7 million tons per year.
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