Wind and solar power production depends on the weather, and up to 97 percent of this power is connected through the distribution network. Thus, distribution networks can play a significant role in the success of the Energiewende. Until now, they were conceived as networks that carry power from plants where it is produced to end-users. In the future, the networks will become more like power collection pathways, which collect power from decentralised solar and wind facilities and redistribute it through the transmission network. Through this, the role and function of the system operators is changing.
In the public discussion of storage facilities, smart-grids, smart-metres, smart-markets, investment barriers and the network expansion, there has until now been no suitable scientific analysis to provide a basis for an in-depth evaluation. Agora Energiewende thus initiated a stakeholder dialogue, bringing for the first time 30 representatives of various interest groups to the table. Together, they structured the relevant topics and analysed them, in order to achieve concrete recommendations for action in a third phase of the project. The dialogue focused on individual discussions as well as plenary meetings and was completed with the presentation of this study.