Berlin – The German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) has unveiled draft regulations designed to unlock the full potential of electricity storage systems and facilitate bidirectional charging for electric vehicles. The new rules aim to allow storage systems to concurrently optimize self-consumption of renewable energy and participate in the electricity market – a capability previously unavailable.
Currently, electricity storage has largely been limited to storing self-generated renewable power for immediate use. The Bundesnetzagentur believes these systems can contribute significantly more by storing grid electricity during periods of low cost and high renewable generation, then releasing power back into the grid when demand and prices are higher.
The draft specifications address how operators can receive Renewable energy Sources Act (EEG) subsidies for the renewable portion of storage volumes that include both grid electricity and renewables. Systems feeding electricity back into the grid will also qualify for reduced Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and offshore wind surcharges. Two options are proposed: a precise mathematical “delimitation option” and a simplified “flat-rate option” for smaller systems.
A key element of the draft is extending subsidy rules to bidirectional charging of electric vehicles, treating charging points as storage systems within home energy management systems.
“Until now, only one of the two [self-consumption or market participation] was possible. The specification is also a milestone for the bidirectional charging of electric vehicles,” stated Bundesnetzagentur president Klaus Müller.
The agency is now initiating a consultation process with industry stakeholders.
The draft specifications are available for download here: https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/1067830.
