Future possibilities — The gas system as flexibility provider for wind power production

A number of European countries have ambitious strategies for increasing the amount of renewable energy in the power system. In Denmark, the political goal for 2050 is an energy system totally based on renewable sources. Renewable electricity production from wind power and photovoltaics fluctuates and creates a need for power production in periods with low power generation and a demand for storage of excess power production in high-wind periods. Energinet.dk has conducted studies of how to obtain efficiency in an energy system based heavily on wind power. The major conclusions are that it is possible, but intelligent integration of the energy systems (power, gas, heat and transport) is necessary to maintain high energy efficiency and security of supply. The gas system has the strength, in an economically efficient manner, to complement the fluctuating power production and deliver the balancing power production. Furthermore, the gas system may be used to store electricity over time in periods with excess electricity. This paper elaborates on the technological and economic aspects of a high-wind power scenario focusing on integration of the energy systems. The gas system is found to be an efficient means to obtain a highly flexible energy system with high security of supply.