E.ON Gas Storage GmbH - E.ON - Strom und Gas - Info

E.ON Gas Storage GmbH
Natural Gas Storage – for a Secure Future
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Contents
Editorial
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New impetus and greater flexibility for the natural gas storage market –
the objectives of E.ON Gas Storage in Europe.
Storage solution partner throughout Europe
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Within the E.ON Group, E.ON Gas Storage pools the expertise developed
over the decades for gas storage throughout Europe.
Ample space for natural gas
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Storage facilities are crucially important for the natural gas market.
E.ON Gas Storage offers the capacities needed for gas storage in
cavern and porous rock facilities located deep under the ground.
Marketing of storage products
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E.ON Gas Storage offers individual storage products with flexible
price models perfectly tailored to current market conditions.
Energy storage
Storage facilities are essential for energy supplies based on renewable
resources. E.ON is working on a variety of different technologies and
innovations for storing electric power and delivering power, gas or heat
at a later point in time.
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Dear Reader,
The Managing Directors of
E.ON Gas Storage with
members of the team
New impetus and greater flexibility for the highly competitive
gas storage market throughout Europe – these are the objectives of E.ON Gas Storage GmbH (EGS). Not only is demand for
natural gas rising; production from indigenous sources is falling
and growing quantities of gas are being imported from more
and more distant regions such as Russia and Norway. Storage
facilities are therefore crucially important for the European natural gas market. As an essential buffer between supplies from
producer countries at almost constant flow rates throughout
the year and demand, which is subject to severe seasonal fluctuation, storage facilities play a key role in ensuring secure natural
gas supplies. They also offer market players the versatility they
need to face growing competition. Companies making effective
use of storage capacities can react faster and more flexibly to
quantity and price fluctuations.
We not only support safe, competitive natural gas supplies in
line with demand. Natural gas storage facilities are also playing
a key role in the implementation of the energy transition. As one
of the largest European gas storage companies, we are committed to progress and our activities in the field of technology and
innovation. It is our objective to develop innovative technologies
for the transportation and storage of energy and to show once
more that sustainability is the key to the future. To learn more
about this area as well as E.ON Gas Storage, its core competences and services, just read this brochure.
We offer our capacities to the market on a transparent, fair and
non-discriminatory basis. In this context, E.ON Gas Storage has
taken on the role of a pioneer, strengthening future-oriented
market structures and joining the competition initiative of the
E.ON Group. Our product portfolio sets standards in the marketplace. Our customers benefit from the highest possible levels
of flexibility, can create new leeway for themselves in a competitive environment and react more flexibly on the market.
We are committed to reliable partnership and the continuous
development of our storage solutions.
Dr. Peter Klingenberger
Chief Executive Officer
Nicole Otterberg
Managing Director
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Nicole Otterberg and
Dr. Peter Klingenberger
Nicole Otterberg
Peter Klingenberger
Nicole Otterberg began her professional
Dr. Peter Klingenberger has worked in the
career as head of the loan capital section
energy industry for more than 20 years.
at Ruhrgas AG in 1990. Following an assign-
In the early 1990s, he joined Ruhrgas AG.
ment to Tenneco Energy Resources in Texas,
At a gas purchasing section manager,
USA, Nicole Otterberg, who holds a degree
Klingenberger, who holds a doctorate in
in economics, worked in various managerial
engineering, headed negotiating teams
positions in the transportation management
for gas purchase contracts with Norway
division from 1995 to 2003. She last served
and Great Britain. In the following years,
as Senior Vice President Project Manage-
Peter Klingenberger held a number of
ment/Pipelines and Storage Joint Ventures
management positions with Harpen AG
with E.ON Ruhrgas AG. In October 2010, she
in Dortmund and GAH Beteiligungs AG of
was appointed Managing Director of E.ON
Heidelberg. In 2004, he was appointed a
Gas Storage GmbH with overall responsibili-
member of the Board of Management of
ty for commercial and financial matters.
Wingas GmbH, in Kassel, where he was
responsible for gas storage. In April 2009,
he returned to Essen as Managing Director
of E.ON Gas Storage GmbH. In October 2010,
he was appointed Chief Executive Officer
of E.ON Gas Storage GmbH.
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More market. More flexibility.
More transparency.
E.ON Gas Storage shapes storage business and strengthens competitive market structures throughout Europe
with innovative products and services. The company is
committed to storage solutions that are fair, flexible
and transparent in the interests of all market players.
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Storage solution partner throughout Europe
Within the E.ON Group, E.ON Gas Storage pools the expertise developed
over the decades for gas storage throughout Europe.
In August 2008, E.ON Gas Storage GmbH started its
activities. Together with its Austrian affiliate Gas
Storage Austria, the company has storage capacities
in a total of 16 underground storage facilities at 14
locations in Germany and Austria. The total working
gas capacity of these facilities is currently about 8.5
billion cubic metres. Including the company‘s subsidiaries in Hungary and the UK, the total working gas
capacity available in Europe is more than 12 billion
cubic metres. This means that E.ON Gas Storage
is already one of the major European gas storage
companies.
European activities.
In Hungary, wholly owned subsidiary E.ON Földgaz Storage operates four
underground storage facilities with a working gas capacity currently totalling about 4.2 billion cubic metres. Via another wholly owned subsidiary,
E.ON Gas Storage UK, the company is also expanding its storage capacities
to provide support for trading business and to meet peak demand. Following the commissioning of Holford gas storage facility in Cheshire, EGS
UK already has a working gas capacity of 0.2 billion cubic metres. Since
the commissioning of the 7Fields natural gas storage facility by Austrian
affiliate Gas Storage Austria in 2011, the company is also represented on
the Austrian market. With this project, E.ON Gas Storage is breaking new
ground together with its partner Rohöl-Aufsuchungs AG (RAG) and has
linked several depleted natural gas fields to form a single storage facility.
E.ON Gas Storage is also expanding the capacity available at its existing
sites, such as Epe and the “ESE-Erdgasspeicher Etzel” storage facility
commissioned in 2012. These storage projects will continue to boost the
company’s working gas volume in Germany and Austria in the future.
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Tailor-made storage capacities.
E.ON Gas Storage experts are available to assist all
customers in the planning and implementation of
tailor-made gas storage solutions. The company‘s
storage capacities and services are available to all
customers on a fair, transparent, non-discriminatory
basis in line with the requirements of the amended
German Energy Industry Act and the third internal
market package. The company also operates in line
with the European Guidelines for Good Practice
for Storage System Operators (GGPSSO). The guidelines are voluntary agreements going far beyond
the current requirements of German and European
energy law.
Innovation across the board.
Outside its core business activities as an owner, operator and service provider in the gas storage sector, E.ON Gas Storage is also active in another
future-oriented field. EGS heads the “E.ON Innovation Center Energy Storage”, which is responsible for coordinating all activities of the E.ON Group
in the field of energy storage. E.ON is pursuing a variety of approaches
ranging from optimizing and improving the efficiency of proven technologies to highly innovative solutions. Depending on technical requirements,
work is carried out on various solutions in the field of electric power storage
(e.g. stationary battery storage), power to gas (e.g. transformation of power
from renewable sources into hydrogen or methane, possibly combined with
underground storage) or heat storage for cogeneration. The objective of
the E.ON Innovation Center is to assess these technologies, test them and
finally to establish them within the energy system. The center is laying a
firm foundation for a key contribution to the growing market for renewable
energies.
E.ON Gas Storage – facts and figures at a glance
Sales: more than 700 million euros (2011)
Storage facilities: 16 underground storage facilities at 14 locations in Germany and Austria, four in Hungary and one in the UK
Working gas volume: 8.5 billion cubic metres in Germany/more than 12 billion cubic metres throughout Europe
December 2012
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Ample space for natural gas
Storage facilities are crucially important for the natural gas market.
They ensure security of supply and provide market players with the
flexibility they need in a competitive market, as well as playing a
key role in the implementation of the energy transition. E.ON Gas
Storage offers gas storage capacities in cavern and porous rock
facilities throughout Europe.
In Germany, 48 natural gas storage facilities with
a total capacity of about 20.4 billion cubic metres
are currently in operation. The German gas industry
therefore has the largest natural gas storage volume
in the European Union. According to the International Gas Union (IGU), Germany has the fourth-largest
storage capacity of any country, after the USA, Russia
and Ukraine. In the context of growing competition,
the optimum utilization and expansion of existing
capacities are essential. E.ON Gas Storage plays a
key role in this area.
Deployment of storage capacities in line with
requirements:
German storage capacities are currently divided
between 22 porous rock and 26 cavern facilities. The
two types of storage facility not only have different
geological characteristics (see box) but also different
advantages. In contrast to cavern storage facilities,
porous rock facilities normally have a larger storage
capacity. On the other hand, cavern storage facilities
feature higher injection and withdrawal rates. The
reason is quite simple: caverns are artificially created
cavities linked to the surface by deep wells allowing
gas to be injected and withdrawn from the facility
directly without any obstacles. In the case of porous
rock storage, the gas must first flow through the
porous rock to the well. To a large extent, the injection and withdrawal rates possible at a porous rock
storage facility are therefore determined by the
flow properties of the rock formation.
Porous rock storage facilities are ideally suited for
adapting to seasonal demand fluctuations. They are
filled in the summer and emptied during the heating
season in the winter. In other words, the working gas
is normally injected and withdrawn once per year.
In contrast, cavern storage facilities are used to
meet extreme demand peaks. They may be filled
and emptied several times per year and are
therefore especially interesting in connection
with spot trading.
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Underground storage of natural gas
Porous rock facility
Cavern facility
Station
Aquifer/gas field
Riser
Water
Observation well
Caverns
Gas-tight caprock
Salt formation
Porous rock and cavern
storage facilities
There are two types of underground storage facilities for
natural gas: porous rock and cavern facilities. Porous rock
storage facilities are mainly developed in depleted gas or
oil fields. Gas injected into storage is stored basically in
the same way as in nature, in the pores of rock formations
permeable to gas, sealed off by a gas-tight layer or “caprock”.
In contrast to porous rock facilities, the space required for
storage in a cavern facility is created artificially. Salt domes
and thick salt formations may be suitable sites for a cavern
storage facility. Via a deep well, which is later used for gas
injection and withdrawal, salt is leached out of the formation
in a controlled way using water. The cavity created in this way
can then be used for the storage of natural gas. For reservoir
engineering reasons, a certain volume of natural gas (the
“cushion gas”) must always remain in a natural gas storage
facility. The gas which is actually available for withdrawal
is referred to as “working gas”.
Expanding safely!
E.ON Gas Storage GmbH (EGS) has been responsible for the operation of storage facilities and has
also been the central energy storage unit of the E.ON Group since August 2008. Formerly, the operations
personnel of the storage facilities were provided by Open Grid Europe GmbH under a service contract.
Since 1 December 2012, the situation has changed and, with it, the role and responsibilities of EGS. “We
have already operated the ESE-Erdgasspeicher Etzel, which is currently in the process of commissioning,
with our own personnel since April 2012,” says Andreas Böhmer, Head of Operations, Technical Service
and HSEQ. “Now we have also assumed responsibility for operations at Epe, Breitbrunn and Bierwang.”
He and his team members Holger Schmidt and Carsten Starrach are responsible for the health, safety,
crisis, environmental and quality management system (HSEQ-System). In connection with the extended
responsibilities of EGS, it was necessary to expand and also update the Management Systems in the
fifth year of the company’s existence.
The new EGS system received confirmation on 30 October 2012 when the company was again certified
by independent experts and auditors under the standards DIN EN ISO 9001:2008 (quality management),
HSEQ management means teamwork (from left to right:
Andreas Böhmer, Holger Schmidt and Carsten Starrach)
DIN EN ISO 14001:2005 (environmental management), OHSAS 18001:2008 (health and safety management)
and DVGW G 1000 (technical safety management (TSM)).
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How is gas stored?
Natural gas injection and
withdrawal process
1
Gas transmission system
2 Filters
3 Metering station
4 Compressor station
5 Cooler
6 Well head
(on each well)
7 Well
8 Salt formation
9 Caverns
10 Gas-tight caprock/
cavern wall
11 Gas-bearing section
12 Water-bearing section
13 Control room
14 Preheating system
15 Pressure let-down system
16 Dehydration unit
Via the inlet flange of the storage station, the gas carried
by the gas transmission system (1) reaches a filter unit (2)
where possible impurities are removed from the flowing gas.
Downstream from the filter unit, the gas flow and quality are
measured (3). As the transmission system pressure is lower
than the storage pressure, the gas pressure is boosted to the
value required for injection by a compressor station (4). The
compression process generates heat and the gas is therefore
cooled (5) before being fed to the well head (6), where it is injected into caverns (9) or natural storage formations (porous
rock storage facilities) (11) via wells (7). Caverns are created
in suitable salt formations by solution mining (8). Natural storage formations are only suitable for the storage of natural
gas if they are covered by a gas-tight caprock layer. This is
the case, for example, in depleted gas fields.
Finally, the gas is routed through the gas metering station (3)
before being returned to the transmission system (1), which
supplies gas to customers.
How safe are storage facilities?
Porous rock storage facilities in depleted oil or gas fields have
Under the gas-bearing section of a porous rock storage facility (11), there is a water-bearing section (12) which forms a
boundary to the storage facility. Salt caverns can be used
for gas storage because the salt formation is gas-tight. Any
water produced from the facility during gas withdrawal must
be removed from the flowing gas. Preheating (14) is necessary to compensate for the cooling of the gas during pressure reduction (15). Then any residual moisture is removed
from the gas stream by dehydration (16).
put their integrity to the test over millions of years. Because of
the tightness ensured by the surrounding salt, cavern storage
facilities are ideal containers for the storage of gas. In addition,
the extremely low above-ground space requirements conserve
resources and protect the environment. The underground storage of natural gas is therefore not only the most environmentally compatible but also the safest method of storage. In the
future, underground storage will continue to make a sustained
contribution to flexible, secure natural gas supplies in Germany.
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Marketing of
storage products
We offer individual storage products with flexible
price models. Our portfolio ranges from storage
products to compensate for short-term demand
peaks to storage capacity which can be used on
a seasonal basis.
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Individual and flexible products
Product portfolio.
We offer our customers a wide product range in the field of natural gas storage based on expertise and know-how.
Our comprehensive, innovative product portfolio with a variety of price models is ideally tailored to market requirements. In addition to our established fixed-price products, we also offer innovative variants based on market prices.
Storage bundles and additional capacities.
Our products are based on bundled storage capacities, or
so-called storage bundles. A storage bundle is a combination of working gas capacity with injection rate and withdrawal rate, with all three components in a fixed ratio.
Firm capacities have the advantage that they are available
to the customer continuously under the conditions agreed
in the contract. These capacities can always be provided by
the storage facility.
In addition to each storage bundle, customers may reserve
non-bundled storage capacity as additional capacity. This
allows our customers to use storage capacities flexibly.
Customers can adapt the capacities available by combining storage bundles and additional capacity in line
with their specific wishes.
Storage capacities can also be further optimized. We offer
capacities both on a firm and on an interruptible basis
with an appropriate price reduction.
Bundled
However, storage facilities can do much more. We achieve
the best possible utilization of our storage facilities by
offering interruptible capacities.
Interruptible capacities are available subject to certain
restrictions. The capacity is technically available but is not
always fully available in practice, depending on temperature and pressure conditions. Although the probability that
capacities will be interrupted is currently extremely low,
interruptible capacities are therefore less expensive.
Non-bundled
Injection rate
Working gas
Injection rate
Withdrawal rate
and/or
Working gas capacity
and/or
Withdrawal rate
Flexible
storage utilization
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Fixed-price products.
We offer both firm and interruptible storage bundles and additional capacities at fixed prices. Our customers can book fixed-price
products for terms of up to 15 years. These products therefore offer customers a decisive advantage. They know the precise price in
advance and can therefore plan their long-term demand. Depending on the contract term, we offer attractive pricing models including
discounts of up to 15 % to our customers.
Indexed products.
In addition to our established fixed-price products we have developed
indexed products based on market prices in close cooperation with
our customers.
In contrast to our fixed-price products, the pricing of these indexed
products is variable. The specific price per unit of storage capacity
is not fixed at the time when the capacity is booked. The price of
the product is determined directly by the market and is referred to
the summer/winter spread using a price formula. The summer/winter spread is the difference between gas prices quoted on trading
markets for the summer and winter seasons. In the current market
environment, this spread is a key factor in boosting demand for
storage services and is therefore well-suited for ensuring that the
prices of indexed products reflect market price levels.
Indexed products are offered depending on market developments and normally have an average term between three
and five years.
Of course, our customers can also diversify their portfolio
by combining fixed-price and indexed products.
Price system for indexed products
Both maximum and minimum prices may be assigned to indexed
products; these apply irrespective of the development of the summer/winter spread. This ensures a balanced distribution of market
risks between the customer and the storage service provider.
The price payable is determined at annual intervals before the
beginning of each storage year. Price determination is based on
market developments and the agreed price formula.
Supplementary products.
We offer a number of supplementary products to our customers in addition to fixed-price and indexed products. These include the
storage of bio-natural gas and short-term trading in injection and withdrawal rates via our day-ahead platform, flat products and
a transfer right that allows customers to transfer products between storage facilities. You will find more detailed information on
the supplementary products on our homepage at www.eon-gas-storage.com.
Product development.
Our objective is to comprehensively serve the needs
of our customers. Our products and services are therefore developed in a process of direct dialogue with our
customers. We are continually developing other interesting, competitive products. We welcome product ideas
and wishes from our customers and do our utmost to
implement them as rapidly as possible.
Of course, we make the products developed available to
all market players on a non-discriminatory basis.
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Storage locations and market access
We offer various storage bundles at our storage locations in Germany. There are five storage bundle types
(A, B, C, D and E). Depending on the individual bundles, our customers have a choice of storage products
ranging from fast churn storage (type A) to seasonal storage (type E).
The map shows the types of bundle available at each storage facility. Details of the bundles are given in
the table below, in which the same colour coding is used.
Storage bundles offered and
regional distribution
Storage bundle
Withdrawal rate per bundle (MWh/h)
A
B
C
D
E
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
10.00
Working gas per bundle (GWh)
5.00
7.50
10.00
15.00
20.00
Injection rate per bundle (MWh/h)
2.50
3.00
3.33
4.55
5.56
Ratio of working gas to withdrawal rate
per bundle (days)*
29
44
59
89
118
Ratio of working gas to injection rate
per bundle (days)*
95
119
143
157
171
2.94
2.24
1.81
1.48
1.26
Churn rate (p.a.)*
* based on standard characteristic curve
Market access.
As a result of the wide variety of storage
locations, our natural gas storage facilities
provide access to all relevant trading points
in Germany (NCG and Gaspool), the Netherlands (TTF) and Austria (CEGH).
As a general principle, we offer our storage
capacities directly at the appropriate storage
connection point. This means that transport
is not automatically included in the services.
As a result, each customer has the opportunity
to make bookings for transport in line with its
own requirements. If the customer so wishes,
we are prepared to provide support for the
steps required for transport bookings. The advantage for our customers is that they can
select the product best-suited for their needs
from the storage capacities and transport
rights available.
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Energy storage
E.ON Gas Storage already plays a major role in innovative
storage solutions. The expansion of fluctuating power
generation from renewable sources such as wind and
solar power and variations in consumption will make it
essential to store energy in the future.
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The energy industry has developed over many decades in line with
demand. In the complex market structures that have evolved over
this period, the cornerstones of supply security are lignite, hard coal,
uranium, oil and gas. Without adequate supplies of energy, the levels
of prosperity experienced nowadays in the form of heating, light,
mechanical work, communications and mobility would not be possible. However, this tried and tested system is subject to considerable influences which call for significant changes.
The status quo.
The raw materials needed for energy supplies are taken from deposits
which are not evenly distributed around the world and are, in many
cases, located in regions affected by political instability. Globalization
is leading to higher economic growth in successful emerging countries but also to more competition for fossil fuels.
These developments are combined with growing concerns with
respect to global climate change, leading to higher temperatures and
dramatic environmental and economic consequences. The emission
of carbon dioxide from combustion processes is considered to be the
main cause. For this reason, energy companies have invested billions
of euros in the expansion of power supply from renewable sources
such as wind, water, solar, biomass and geothermal energy over the
past few years.
Power plants are normally built at sites which are conveniently
located with reference to centers of demand, with a view to keeping
distances as short as possible. However, the dramatic expansion of
power from renewable sources poses a major new challenge. Like
fossil fuels, renewable energy sources are mainly available in certain
areas. However, unlike fossil fuels, these energy sources are initially
not linked to specific materials and cannot be simply transported and
stored until they are required. On the contrary, energy from renewable sources is available when and where the wind blows or the sun
shines, often at remote locations or times of low demand. Energy
demand has always been subject to fluctuation, but this means that
energy generation will also fluctuate and take place at considerable
distances. As a result, we already face temporary network overloading resulting in the forced shut-down of generating facilities
and preventing optimum use of the system. At a later stage, shortages
may also occur. Attempts are being made to avoid these problems
by expanding power grids but this assumes that power will always
be generated somewhere and required somewhere at the same
time. This assumption does not necessarily apply and the solution
adopted can be ideally supplemented by the storage of energy.
Energy storage solutions.
There are various possibilities of storing energy. Depending on
technical requirements, small, distributed, short-term storage
facilities or larger, more centralized solutions for seasonal
storage are available. These include:
• electrical storage (e.g. batteries)
• storage in the form of gas (e.g. conversion of power into hydrogen,
the so-called “Power to Gas” technology or compressed air storage)
• heat storage (e.g. for cogeneration plants)
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Dr. Klaus Peter Röttgen, Head
of Technology and Innovation
at E.ON Gas Storage and
the E.ON Innovation Center
Energy Storage
Energy storage –
the key to the energy transition
Interview with Dr. Klaus Peter Röttgen, Head of Technology
and Innovation at E.ON Gas Storage and the E.ON Innovation
Center Energy Storage
What precisely is the ”E.ON Innovation Center Energy Storage“?
E.ON has a number of innovation centers throughout the Group. Each of them is concerned with a specific technology and coordinates the development of this technology
for the entire Group. E.ON Gas Storage heads the E.ON Innovation Center Energy Storage.
Depending on technical requirements, the Center works on a number of different technologies for the storage of electric power and the later use of electricity, gas or heat.
Why are energy storage facilities so important now and why will they be so important
in the future?
Storage is essential for energy supplies on the basis of renewable resources. Storage
facilities cannot replace network expansion but they add to the system the possibility
of using energy, which has been generated, at a later date. This may be necessary, for
example, in order to improve on-site utilization of power from photovoltaic systems or
to make the supply of power to the grid compatible with network conditions. Storage
is also important in the event of unfavourable wind situations in large geographic
areas or a lack of sunlight, as well as for seasonal balancing purposes.
Are energy storage facilities already available and what storage systems are currently
being developed?
In addition to the major natural gas storage facilities which have been successfully
operated by E.ON Gas Storage for decades, it is also possible to expand existing
pumped storage facilities. Apart from these possibilities, the main areas of special
interest are as follows:
Firstly, battery storage. With batteries, container-sized domestic or regional units can
be installed in a distributed configuration. A network of a large number of batteries
offers considerable storage potential. This would also apply if the batteries of electric
vehicles could be used for the energy system.
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A second significant area is Power to Gas. When excess electric power
is available, it is used for producing hydrogen by electrolysis. This hydrogen can then be made available for the heat energy market, industry or
power generation. The fact that the existing natural gas infrastructure
can be used means that considerable storage potential is available.
Methanization, the combination of hydrogen with carbon dioxide and
conversion into methane, even produces gas of natural gas quality
from renewable sources which can be fed to existing natural gas systems without any chemical limits. Power to Gas can also boost progress with environmentally compatible hydrogen technology.
The third area is heat storage, for example in the cogeneration sector
in connection with solar thermal power stations or energy storage in
the form of compressed air. E.ON also has many years of experience
in this field.
What projects are being implemented?
We intend to make an active contribution to the integration of renewable energy sources by developing new, advanced, environmentally
compatible technologies. However, new types of energy storage can
only be developed on the basis of creative ideas for new systems and
the willingness to try these systems out in practice. E.ON is therefore
implementing various pilot projects.
For example, the Power to Gas pilot plant at Falkenhagen in Brandenburg is being constructed by E.ON Gas Storage and operated in cooperation with E.ON edis. In future, this plant will allow the storage of wind
power in the natural gas network. This is the first pilot plant of its type
in the world, with an electrical capacity of 2 MW, covering the entire
process from the receipt of wind power through to the injection of
hydrogen into the natural gas network. Through this project, we intend
to demonstrate that the process functions properly, to collect operational experience and to work intensively on improving the efficiency
of plants of this type.
Another example is the “SmartRegion Pellworm” project which is being
implemented in cooperation with E.ON Hanse. The North Sea island
of Pellworm is to become a model region for smart power networks
and the local storage of electricity generated from renewable sources.
The objective is to link power consumers with renewable generating
facilities in such a way that the generation and use of electric power
are harmonized more effectively. When large quantities of power are
generated on the island as a result of good wind conditions and sunlight, the power will, in future, be stored directly in high-performance
stationary batteries and in domestic heating systems. Where possible, excess electric power will not be wasted. In the event of electric power deficits, imports are also to be avoided to the greatest
extent possible.
For us, technology and innovation are top priorities, especially in view
of the challenges posed by the energy transition, not only in Germany.
Do you expect large-scale energy storage projects to be realized?
With our ideas and projects, we are committed to making a significant contribution to the integration of renewable energy sources.
The primary objective is to ensure an efficient balance between the
expansion of renewable energies and electric power systems on the
one hand and the flexibility provided by storage facilities and consumption control on the other hand. However, the way in which the
configuration of international energy markets develops will define
the energy storage facilities to be provided. In general, an energy
transition will not be possible without energy storage facilities.
Furthermore, the energy transition will be considerably more costeffective with storage, as storage will make the system more efficient and will reduce the volume of conventional reserves which
will need to be kept available.
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”Power to Gas“
pilot plant Falkenhagen
The wind blows when it wants to –
sometimes more and sometimes less
than you need. That’s why we are transferring wind power to the network.
How can you store wind and solar power in an environmentally compatible
way for later use? One highly promising solution is “chemical storage”, which
involves the conversion of excess wind power into hydrogen – Power to Gas.
Our new pilot plant at Falkenhagen in Brandenburg makes sure that the electricity generated when there is too much wind and the network is overloaded
is no longer wasted. The electricity is used for an electrolysis process, producing
hydrogen and oxygen. We then feed the hydrogen at a certain blending ratio
into the existing natural gas system, a very large transport and storage system
that is already available. With an electrical capacity of 2 MW and a hydrogen
production rate of 360 m³/hour, we will be demonstrating the entire chemical
storage process chain at Falkenhagen from 2013. The gas produced using renewable energy sources can be used effectively at any time and any place –
for heating, mobility or power generation. Although electrolysis is already
a proven technology, the plant will allow us to collect essential operating
experience and optimize the operating concept for the market.
This process means that electricity generated from renewable sources
no longer needs to be used when and where it is generated. Power from
renewable sources can then be made available at any time.
Project information
Title
Power to Gas Demonstration Plant,
Falkenhagen
Project executing unit
E.ON Gas Storage GmbH
Joint project
With E.ON edis AG,
E.ON New Build & Technology GmbH
Project country
Germany
Project start
October 2011
Scheduled completion
December 2015
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Underground storage facilities
with storage capacities of
E.ON Gas Storage
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E.ON Gas Storage has storage capacities in a total of
16 underground storage facilities at 14 locations in Germany
and Austria, from Rönne cavern storage facility in the north
to the 7Fields porous rock facility in the south. Each storage
facility has different performance characteristics depending
on its size and location.
Contact
1 Bierwang
Withdrawal rate
13,440 MWh/h
Injection rate
8,960 MWh/h
Working gas capacity
16,240 GWh
Application
mainly seasonal use
9 Kraak
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
2 Breitbrunn
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
10 Krummhörn
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
3,540 MWh/h
1,050 MWh/h
2,780 GWh
peak shaving
11 Nüttermoor
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
2,921 MWh/h
1,982 MWh/h
1,290 GWh
peak shaving
3 Epe H-Gas
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
4 Epe L-Gas
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
5 Eschenfelden
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
6 Etzel EGL
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
7 Etzel ESE*
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
8 Hähnlein
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
5,824 MWh/h
2,800 MWh/h
11,110 GWh
seasonal use
20,230 MWh/h
14,040 MWh/h
18,252 GWh
peak shaving and
seasonal use
11,700 MWh/h
5,800 MWh/h
4,537 GWh
peak shaving
971 MWh/h
373 MWh/h
537 GWh
peak shaving and
seasonal use
15,312 MWh/h
6,960 MWh/h
12,134 GWh
seasonal use and
peak shaving
8,544 MWh/h
8,545 MWh/h
5,399 GWh
seasonal use and
peak shaving
1,120 MWh/h
672 MWh/h
896 GWh
peak shaving and
seasonal use
* This storage facility is still being expanded.
The figures shown are maximum values.
Updated information is available at www.eon-gas-storage.de
December 2012
4,475 MWh/h
1,900 MWh/h
3,222 GWh
seasonal use and
peak shaving
E.ON Gas Storage GmbH
Ruhrallee 80
45136 Essen
www.eon-gas-storage.com
info@eon-gas-storage.com
Claus Obholzer
Head of Marketing & Sales/
General Affairs
Phone +49 2 01-9 46 14-460
Fax
+49 2 01-9 46 14-29-460
claus.obholzer@eon-gas-storage.com
Publication details
12 Reitbrook
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
13 Rönne
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
14 Sandhausen
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
15 Stockstadt
Withdrawal rate
Injection rate
Working gas capacity
Application
3,920 MWh/h
1,680 MWh/h
4,256 GWh
seasonal use and
peak shaving
605 MWh/h
281 MWh/h
302 GWh
peak shaving
250 MWh/h
111 MWh/h
167 GWh
peak shaving and
seasonal use
Published by
E.ON Gas Storage GmbH
Edited by
Corporate Communications
Design and layout
espey werbeagentur gmbh
Photos
E.ON
EGS/RAG, Steve Haider
Printed by
Woeste Druck + Verlag GmbH & Co. KG
January 2013
1,512 MWh/h
1,008 MWh/h
1,512 GWh
seasonal use and
peak shaving
16 7Fields*
Withdrawal rate
6,738 MWh/h
Injection rate
4,496 MWh/h
Working gas capacity
12,932 GWh
Application
mainly seasonal use
E.ON Gas Storage GmbH Ruhrallee 80 45136 Essen Germany
www.eon-gas-storage.com www.eon.com info@eon-gas-storage.com