Supply-side Challenges for the Energy Sector: Renewable and Conventional Electricity Generation

Due to very ambitious energy-political goals, the German energy sector is currently undergoing a transition. The resulting challenges are identified in this two-part contribution, before suggesting and discussing possible solutions. This first part is devoted to electricity generation in renewable and conventional plants. The second part focusses on the demand side and infrastructure, followed by a discussion of energy systems analysis as a suitable methodological approach to these problems. The greatest challenge for the energy sector is the integration of renewable energy (RE) into the existing energy system. Thereby support policies must be adjusted to regional particularities and other policy measures. The objective is to improve the competitiveness of these technologies and to integrate them into the energy market and system.