ABSTRACT / This report analyzes Germany’s 2012 transmission grid development plan (NEP) through the lens of the public consultation and asks how much grid expansion is actually necessary. It finds that TSO assumptions and methods likely overstate needs, treat transmission as the sole flexibility option, and underplay alternatives such as demand response, storage, distributed balancing and smarter distribution grids. Many stakeholders contest the scale and routing (notably four N–S HVDC lines) and the “copperplate” premise that removes congestion, which can favor lignite plants. The authors call for transparency, prioritizing no‑regret projects, and a two‑track process that improves methodology while advancing urgent measures.

Schleicher-Tappeser, Ruggero and Piria, Raffaele (2012), The Grid Expansion Debate: the issues at stake. Learning from the public consultation on the German network development plan 2012. SEFEP working paper, December 2012, Smart Energy for Europe Platform (SEFEP), Berlin.

Report