Critical Analysis of Pumped Storage Power Plants in Germany

Abstract

Purpose: Anyone who wants to generate substantial amounts of electricity using regenerative systems must store excess energy so that it can be used again for times when it is needed but not generated by the sun and wind. Pumped storage power plants are currently the only way to present this on a larger scale realistically.

Design/methodology/approach: The aim was to find out what the current status quo for pumped storage power plants in Germany is. Only current German literature was evaluated. All relevant German political parties were interviewed and all generally refused to take a position. In a longer expert interview with one of the leading professors and experts in this special field, the deeply unsatisfactory situation and development was clearly confirmed.

Findings: The findings achieved can only be described as devastating, since the responsible politicians/parties fundamentally avoid the discussion and the environmental associations and ultimately also the electricity suppliers do not build up the necessary political pressure, while the locally affected population legally defends itself by all means to prevent necessary and directly related changes in your own life.

Research/practical implications: In the previous form, it does not go on, since no progress has been made. There must be concerted action by all governing parties, all environmental associations and the media to make it clear that many changes are pending in this area in the future. All future and necessary investments and changes must be legally clear and fundamentally secured in advance. Future research must always stand on three legs here: politically/legally, economically/ecologically and most intensively, sociologically about the population and their approval of the changes, which are sometimes serious.

Originality/value: There are hardly any relevant publications about it so far, and it seems that all politically responsible people are trying, at least so far, to keep the topic silent.