Audi e-gas stabilises German power grid

In a twist you’d not necessarily expect of a car maker, Audi is contributing to the stabilisation of Germany’s power grid via its e-gas plant.

The plant, which was opened in Werite in Lower Saxony in 2013, is the world’s largest power-to-gas facility.

It produces methane from water and CO2, using wind-generated electricity not just to power motor vehicles, but also to step in and stabilise the power grid when other renewable power-generating systems such as wind or solar are experiencing down-times.

With Germany’s increasing focus on renewable energy – it reached 33 per cent in the first half of this year – the problem of fluctuations in the grid brought about by changing levels of sunlight, or wind, are becoming a significant issue.

This has brought about an electricity balancing market, organised by the grid operators, that identifies other sources of power generation that can step in to stabilise fluctuating energy production.

Specific guidelines for qualification as an electricity-balancer, as defined by grid operator Tennet TSO GmbH, require the ability to draw six megaWatts of power from the grid within five minutes while running prescribed load profiles.

By meeting the criteria, Audi’s Werite plant not only benefits the power grid, but is also now able to target higher annual operating times, producing more e-gas into the bargain.

Audi is working on other CO2 neutral fuels. In 2015, a plant operated by project partner sunfire GmBH producing e-diesel was opened in Dresden, while the company is also researching the synthetic manufacture of e-gasoline with French company Global Bioenergies SA.

Further research into the development of e-diesel and e-ethanol using microorganisms is being undertaken with the US-based company Joule Unlimited Technologies Inc, while Audi is also working with a partner to develop biological pathways for the production of e-gas.