Are baseload power plants necessary in relation to renewable energies? – Image: Xpert.Digital
Renewable energies on the rise: Is the era of baseload power plants over?
Nuclear and coal-fired power plants under pressure: How the energy transition is changing base load
Baseload power plants play a central role in traditional energy supply, as they provide the constantly required electrical power (baseload). These power plants, such as nuclear and coal-fired power plants, operate continuously and generate electricity at low variable costs. However, with the expansion of renewable energies, their necessity is increasingly being questioned.
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Why baseload power plants were necessary until now
Baseload power plants were essential to meet the minimum demand in the electricity grid. They are technically designed to produce electricity around the clock and to operate economically efficiently when running continuously. Typical examples include lignite-fired and nuclear power plants, as well as run-of-river hydroelectric power plants. However, these technologies are not very flexible and can only react to fluctuating demand or the feed-in of renewable energies to a limited extent.
Challenges posed by renewable energies
Renewable energy sources like wind and solar power are weather-dependent and generate electricity not constantly, but fluctuatingly. These characteristics make them technically unsuitable for baseload power in the traditional sense. Nevertheless, through smart grids, storage technologies, and supplementary flexible power plants, they can reliably ensure the electricity supply.
The energy transition has led to a decrease in the need for rigid baseload power plants. Instead, the concept of "residual load" is becoming more important: The share of electricity demand that cannot be met by renewable energies is covered by flexible power plants such as gas-fired power plants or hydrogen gas turbines.
Are baseload power plants still necessary?
Studies show that an energy system based on renewable energies can function even without baseload power plants. A mix of solar and wind energy combined with storage (e.g., battery storage or hydrogen), flexible load management, and residual load power plants can ensure security of supply. The integration of baseload power plants would only make sense if they were economically competitive – which is often not the case due to high investment costs.
Residual load power plants are used to cover the so-called residual load. The residual load is the portion of the electricity demand that remains after subtracting the feed-in from fluctuating renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. These power plants play a central role in an energy system that is increasingly dominated by renewable energies, as they ensure security of supply.
Types of residual load power plants
- Gas-fired power plants: They are considered particularly suitable because they can be quickly ramped up or down.
- Biogas plants: This renewable energy source can also flexibly contribute to covering the residual load.
- Hydroelectric power plants (e.g. pumped storage power plants): They store excess electricity and release it again when needed.
Alternative approaches to securing the electricity supply
- Storage technologies: Pumped storage power plants, large batteries or hydrogen storage can balance fluctuations between generation and consumption.
- Flexibility in the network: Smart grids enable better control of supply and demand.
- Residual load power plants: These only run when needed and often use lower-emission technologies such as hydrogen or biomethane.
- Diversification: A broad mix of decentralized renewable energy sources reduces dependence on individual technologies.
Baseload power plants are no longer essential in the context of an energy system dominated by renewable energies. Security of supply can be ensured through a combination of renewable energies, storage, flexible power plants, and smart grids. The concept of baseload power is losing importance in favor of more flexible and sustainable solutions.
Renewable energies are playing an increasingly important role in energy supply, including baseload power. However, their contribution to covering baseload power differs significantly from that of traditional power plants, as many renewable sources are weather-dependent and therefore volatile. Nevertheless, various approaches and technologies exist to enable their integration into baseload power supply.
Renewable energies and their role in baseload power generation
1. Baseload-capable renewable energies
- Run-of-river hydroelectric power plants: These are inherently capable of providing baseload power, as they can generate electricity constantly.
- Biomass power plants: They can also supply energy continuously and are therefore considered capable of providing baseload power.
- Geothermal power plants: These utilize geothermal heat and offer a reliable, constant electricity generation.
2. Limited baseload capability of wind and solar energy
- Wind and solar power plants are weather-dependent and therefore not constantly available. However, offshore wind farms are considered almost capable of providing baseload power due to their high number of full-load hours.
- The so-called “dark doldrums” (calm winds and no sunlight) pose a problem that must be compensated for by storage solutions or other technologies.
3. Storage technologies and flexibility
- To compensate for fluctuations in wind and solar energy, storage solutions such as battery storage, pumped-storage hydroelectric plants, or hydrogen storage are used. These technologies make it possible to store excess energy and release it when needed.
- Smart grids can optimize the feed-in of renewable energies and close gaps in supply.
4. Changed concept of base load:
- With the expansion of renewable energies, the traditional concept of a rigid base load is increasingly being replaced by a more flexible system. Instead of a constant base supply, the aim is to dynamically balance supply and demand.
- The combination of different renewable energy sources (e.g. wind, solar, biomass) can ensure a stable supply, as they partially complement each other.
challenges
- The expansion of storage facilities and flexible grids is crucial to enabling the integration of renewable energies into baseload power supply.
- Bridging technologies such as gas-fired power plants are needed temporarily to close supply gaps.
- In the long term, a system based entirely on renewable energies could be possible if technological advances are made in storage and grid management.
Renewable energies, through suitable combinations, storage technologies, and intelligent grid management, can make a significant contribution to baseload power. However, the traditional concept of a rigid baseload is increasingly being replaced by more flexible approaches.
Conventional baseload power plants have always played a central role in energy supply, as they provide the continuous and minimum amount of electricity that a power grid needs around the clock. This constant energy supply is essential to avoid power outages and ensure grid stability.
Why are conventional baseload power plants (still) necessary?
- Ensuring a reliable power supply: They guarantee a constant energy supply, regardless of the time of day or weather conditions. This is particularly important for industrial processes, household appliances in continuous operation (e.g., refrigerators), and public infrastructure such as street lighting.
- Grid stability: Base load power plants contribute to frequency and voltage stability in the electricity grid, which is essential for the safe operation of the entire system.
- Low variable costs: These power plants are designed to generate electricity cost-effectively, as they are usually operated continuously.
Which power plants cover the base load?
Traditionally, baseload power plants are used, which are technically capable of generating electricity over long periods of time:
- Conventional power plants: Coal, nuclear and natural gas power plants dominate here due to their reliability and low variable operating costs.
- Renewable energies: Run-of-river hydropower plants, biomass plants and geothermal power plants can also contribute to covering the base load, as they can supply energy continuously.
Future prospects
With the transition to renewable energies, the role of baseload power plants is being reassessed:
- Volatile energy sources like wind and solar cannot provide baseload power because their output is weather-dependent. Their integration therefore requires storage solutions or complementary technologies such as power-to-gas or virtual power plants.
- Storage technologies such as battery storage or pumped storage power plants are gaining in importance to balance fluctuations and make renewable energies capable of providing baseload power.
- A future without traditional baseload power plants: Scenarios show that an energy system can function even without traditional baseload power plants if renewable energies are efficiently networked and stored.
Conventional baseload power plants remain indispensable for a stable energy supply. At the same time, their importance is being supplemented or replaced by innovative technologies and sustainable solutions in the course of the energy transition.
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