Secretary of State Baake launches WindNODE, the model region for smart energy from the north-east of Germany
06.12.2016
On 6 December 2016, Secretary of State Rainer Baake handed over the grant notice to the representatives of the WindNODE joint project.
On 6 December 2016, Secretary of State Rainer Baake handed over the grant notice to the representatives of the WindNODE joint project. After two years of preparation, the showcase for smart energy from the north-east of Germany has now officially been launched. Some 50 partners in the consortium will collaborate on joint solutions for a total of four years to find the most efficient ways of attaching large sources of renewable energy to the power grid. WindNODE spans all six eastern former East German states including Berlin, operating under the umbrella supervision of the six regional heads of government. Even now, the region is already the pioneer within Germany in terms of renewable energy sources; already about half of the electricity consumed here comes from wind, solar and other renewable sources.
In addition to the consortium coordinator 50Hertz, Siemens and Stromnetz Berlin, along with the economic development organisations Berlin Partner, Energy Saxony and ZukunftsAgentur Brandenburg, are involved in the strategic direction of WindNODE. In addition, the Berlin distribution company, Stromnetz Berlin, is involved with eleven WindNODE projects. Stromnetz Berlin will focus on the development and testing of technologies to promote the integration of renewable energy sources into the city's power supply. The ultimate objectives are to mitigate climate change and improve the quality of life for the citizens of Berlin.
In addition to energy providers, grid operators and high-tech specialists, the consortium also includes automotive companies, utilities, waste disposal and the housing and retail sectors plus several universities and research institutes in the region. The three company representatives on the steering committee, Dr Dirk Biermann (50Hertz Transmission GmbH), Dr Frank Büchner (Siemens AG) and Dr Erik Landeck (Stromnetz Berlin GmbH), emphasise the importance of this collaborative project: "No-one on their own can make a success of energy reforms. WindNODE offers an excellent platform for developing and testing new smart solutions for the energy systems of the future, working together with a large number of committed partners." WindNODE will mark the project kick-off at a meeting of the consortium in Berlin on 26 January 2017.
WindNODE is a part of the "Smart Energy Showcase – Digital Agenda for Energy Reforms" (or SINTEG) funding programme from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The goal is to develop and demonstrate scalable model solutions for environmentally friendly, safe and affordable energy supply using a high percentage of renewable energy in large-scale "showcase regions". The focus is on the smart networking of power generation and consumption and on the use of innovative grid technologies and operating concepts. The solutions it discovers will serve as models for large scale implementation. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs is providing funding of over EUR 200 million for the five showcase regions . Together with the additional corporate investments a total of over EUR 500 million will be invested in the digitalisation of the energy sector. SINTEG is therefore making an important contribution to the digitalisation of energy reforms. Over 200 companies and other players, e.g. from the scientific community, are involved in the SINTEG showcases.
