Electricity Network Model

The Electricity Network model ProgNetz calculates, under various assumptions, which loads occur in the transmission grid. Various conclusions can be drawn from these loads: What kind of grid expansion is required under which assumptions? How big is the north-south transport task? What impact does locally neglected expansion of renewable energy have? Which regions are particularly affected? Thus, the effects of energy system scenarios on the transmission network can be calculated and the influence of various factors can be quantified (allocation of renewable energies or electrolysers, electrification rate industry, quantity of large heat pumps ...).

In essence, the model works in three steps: first, an energy system scenario is regionalised, then the resulting load flows in the transmission grid are calculated, and finally the calculated load flows analysed. Regionalisation is an important component of the calculations – here, on the basis of multifaceted parameters (potential areas, weather data, population development, structural development trends, energy economic and political framework conditions and laws ...), the hourly generation and consumption data of the selected energy system scenario is distributed among the 400 districts in Germany and then assigned to the network nodes in the transmission grid. This regionalisation is not rigid and can be individually coordinated with the project partner.

The resulting load flow is then calculated from the regionalised hourly consumption and production data using PyPSA, in each line, for every hour of the year.

Finally, the load flows are analysed: how much grid expansion is necessary to withstand the loads? How big is the north-south transport task? Which regions are particularly affected?