In Germany, technologies for capturing and storing carbon dioxide have so far failed to gain acceptance. This sixty social scientists and technicians attending the "Acceptance Research on CCS" workshop held at the Wuppertal Institute were in agreement in this respect. One aspect that has not failed, however, is the research on how acceptance develops among the population. Many large-scale technologies ranging from wind farms to high-voltage grids are faced with the need to find acceptance ? not least through participation.  more...

A superconducting fault current limiter is protecting the auxiliary power supply in the Boxberg lignite-fired power plant in the German state of Saxony against damage caused by short circuits and voltage peaks. The developers have now replaced the first-generation system with a fault current limiter based on YBCO superconducting tapes - which represents a world first. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Nexans SuperConductors have thus improved the intrinsic safety of the grid and also helped to reduce equipment investment costs.  more...

Special micro-organisms can make direct use of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) contained in flue gases from lignite-fired power plants as ?food?, and grow even at a temperature of 60 degrees Celsius. This is the interim result of the research cooperation between an electricity producer and a biotechnology company at the Niederaussem power plant near Cologne.  more...

Germany is financially supporting the construction of the first large-scale solar thermal power plant in Morocco. The Moroccan Solar Energy Agency and KfW Entwicklungsbank have signed a corresponding agreement. The power plant with parabolic trough collectors is planned to have an output of 160 MW. The storage capacities integrated in the design enable the operation to be continued up to three hours after sunset. Construction is earmarked to begin in 2012 and is scheduled to last around one year. The plant will be located in the town of Ouarzazate, which is situated on the northern edge of the Sahara.  more...

"Within the next ten years, the number of load changes in large-scale power plants will double." In his opening speech, Professor Michael Beckmann outlined a central task for power plant technology, namely to flexibly ensure grid stability without overly reducing the service life of turbo engines. Each year, his Institute for Energy Technology at the Technical University of Dresden organises a conference at which hundreds of experts discuss a wide range of issues spanning from solar power plants to nuclear technology.  more...

Government and industry representatives jointly inaugurated the high-efficiency Combine-Cycle power plant (CCPP) in Irsching in the vicinity of Ingolstadt. Incorporating high-tech components, such as the latest gas turbine manufactured by Siemens, the power plant is currently the most modern of its kind. Its total capacity is 561 megawatts and its electrical efficiency factor over 60 per cent - a world first. Further technological innovations allow the power plant to adapt to fluctuations in electricity demand.  more...

Superconducting fault current limiters can contribute significantly to increasing the safety, availability and reliability of electrical systems in power stations. According to experts, they also have an important role to play in expanding the power grid. In 2009 at the Boxberg power station, a superconducting fault current limiter was used for the first time to protect its own power supply. Soon a next-generation superconductor system with optimized characteristics will be tested at the same site.  more...

Predictions have estimated that between a half and two thirds of the world's electricity will come from fossil sources in 2050.  With this in mind, the German Federal Government plans to promote the availability of highly efficient, low-emission technologies for the world market and to facilitate the expansion of renewable power plants as part of a flexible power plant infrastructure over the coming years.  The new 6th Energy Research Programme from the German Federal Government details the key research areas for the coming years.  more...

There are many good reasons for using geothermal power. For example, it is available around the clock, 365 days a year, has great potential in many German regions and can be used for supplying both heat and electricity. With this in mind, the German government intends to increase the contribution of geothermal energy in domestic energy production in Germany in the future. The new 6th Energy Research Programme from the German government details the key research areas for the coming years.  more...

Copper cables only conduct electricity under resistance, meaning the cable heats up and energy is lost. In contrast, superconductors conduct electricity without loss. Their use in cable and generator projects thus increases the efficiency of the electricity supply infrastructure. With this in mind, the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology is promoting the cost-effective production of superconductive band conductors at the manufacturer Zenergy Power with funding of 3.5 million euros.  more...