If Germany wants to achieve its climate protection goals and make the energy transition a success, electricity distribution networks must be expanded and modernized. Without corresponding grid investments, follow-up costs of up to €4.2 billion per year up to 2050 will arise in the coming decades.
This is shown in a study carried out by RWTH Aachen University and Frontier Economics on behalf of E.ON. It quantifies for the first time the economic value of the electricity distribution networks in Germany. At the same time, the risk that too much is being invested today is low.
If the grid were to be developed more than necessary now, only a fraction of the additional costs that would be incurred by society in the future in the event of a lack of investment would arise.
Investment requirements
According to the study, investments totaling over €110 billion will be required by 2050
According to the study, investments totaling over €110 billion will be required by 2050. If investments in electricity grids are not made consistently and on a long-term basis today, they will no longer be able to handle the electricity generated from renewable energies.
After all, the complexity of the energy system and the number of small, decentralized plants is constantly increasing. The grids also need a strong development due to the increase of many new customer solutions like e-mobility, heat pumps, or storage systems.
For network operators, the necessary investments can only be financed if the regulatory framework is adapted and investments in the grids in Germany remain attractive in a European comparison.
Energy transition
Thomas König, E.ON's COO Networks, commented: “The basis for successful implementation of the energy transition and for climate protection is comprehensive, high-performance energy infrastructure. Politicians and regulators must now create the right framework conditions to ensure that we in Germany remain a leader in security of supply in the future.”
E.ON has already connected around 800,000 renewable energy plants with a capacity of 77 gigawatt to its networks in Germany. That is around two-thirds of all renewable energy plants in Germany. To ensure that decentralized green electricity continues to reach customers reliably in the future, E.ON will invest around €6.6 billion in its energy networks in Germany over the next three years.
