Hyperdrive
Germany to Compensate Power Users Hit by Grid Bottlenecks
- Grid operators can cut supply to reduce congestion from 2024
- Flexible tariffs to encourage users to shift power demand
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Germany will entice electric vehicle drivers to charge up when there’s plenty of green power on the system by offering them cheap tariffs linked to wholesale prices.
It’s part of a push by the government to better integrate huge swings of renewable power onto the grid when it’s particularly sunny or windy by ramping demand up or down to match. It’s an example of the flexible tariffs that are popping up all over Europe aimed at consumers with electricity-hungry devices like heat pumps or cars that can help balance the network.