Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2014) 129: 219
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2014-14219-7

Regular Article

Considerations for an EU-wide use of renewable energies for electricity generation

Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, 17491, Greifswald, Germany

^* e-mail: fritz.wagner@ipp.mpg.de

Received: 10 September 2014
Accepted: 10 September 2014
Published online: 14 October 2014

Abstract

This paper studies a joint Europe-wide use of renewable energies for electricity generation. With actual wind data of eight and photo voltaic (PV) data of four countries the benefits are assessed of an EU-wide use of renewable energies (RES) for electricity production in comparison to an independent national use. The data of 2012 are scaled to a 100% supply by RES to characterise the future final situation. Where available, wind and PV data are optimally mixed. Wind turns out to have the largest averaging effect. Nevertheless, surplus energy is produced and residual power still has to be provided. When surplus electricity is produced it is simultaneously produced by the neighbour countries. The use of an EU-wide RE field allows to reduce the back-up and the surplus energy of individual countries typically by 30%. The interconnection capacity has to be increased above the peak load in most cases to allow the distribution of surplus power. The RE power capacity to be installed for a 100% supply has been considered for 29 countries. The present RE capacity of 185GW has to be increased to 1272GW. Under these conditions the produced surplus energy corresponds to the consumption of Germany plus Poland.