Grid Study II published: New scenarios of Czech coal phase-out

New scenarios show that Czech power grid poses no obstacle to phase-out of all coal powered power plants, even under the following conditions:

• Three weeks of extreme winter with temperatures well below - 15 °C
• In case of unexpected phase-out of Dukovany nuclear power plant before 2030
• Lowered potential for export in the other European countries (Poland, Germany and France)

Increase in power consumption due to development of electromobility and heat pump. The study concludes that grid stability poses no major obstacle for the transformation of Czech energy sector from coal to renewables. In includes also an overview of recommended measures, which could increase the ability of the grid to react to fluctuation in VTE and FVE production for individual scenarios. The measures comprise the possibility of energy accumulation in heating stations and biogas storage in biogas stations. These measures would increase the potential of these sources for generation dispatch management. Further improvement can be achieved through optimalization of CCGT turbines.

The study reacts to the current European drift from coal towards renewable energy. This trend often raises a question: could the substitution of coal power plants with sources which are highly dependant on weather threaten the stability and security of power supplies? This question is definitely appropriate - the share of renewables in the European union is 30 % and increasing. This growth in renewable energy is caused especially by solar and wind sources of energy and biomass. The study which is unique to the Czech environment shows that the options of Czech power grid do not stand in the way of further energy transformation.

The additional research was carried out by a renown German consulting company Energynautics, upon a request of Czech organizations – Glopolis, Frank Bold and Hnutí Duha (Friends of the Earth Czech Republic).