Flexibility could reduce electricity generation from gas-fired power plants by up to 45 percent by 2045
Analysis by BUND and Gaswende with calculations by RLI shows advantages of flexibility in the energy system
The German government is currently pushing ahead with the construction of new climate-damaging gas-fired power plants as part of its power plant strategy. A new analysis by the organizations Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) and Gaswende, with calculations by the Reiner Lemoine Institute (RLI), highlights the advantages of a smart strategy for cost reduction, resilience, and the achievement of climate targets.
The analysis by BUND and Gaswende includes calculations by the RLI on the impact of flexibilities on the use of power plants with a view to the target year 2045. The calculations are based on the assumption that the German government’s current targets, such as the expansion of renewables and climate neutrality, will be achieved by 2045.
More resilient energy system and cost advantages
The results show that innovative flexibility options such as the use of battery storage, bidirectional charging of electric vehicles, or load shifting in industry significantly mitigate short-term and expensive peaks in the electricity system.
As a result, power plants will be used significantly less overall: according to calculations, electricity generation in power plants can be reduced by up to 45 percent by 2045 compared to a strategy that does not rely on flexibility. The operating hours of these plants will decrease by almost a third (32 percent). This brings cost advantages and makes the energy system more resilient because it reduces dependence on imports. Marginal prices – i.e., the prices set at any given moment by the most expensive generation unit still required – could be 12 percent lower on average over the year.
More information on the analysis on the BUND website.
More information on the project on RLI's project page.
Contact:
Reiner Lemoine Institute gGmbH
reiner-lemoine-institut.de
Mascha Richter
Project leader
+49 30 1208434-25
mascha.richter(at)rl-institut.de
Ilka Cußmann
Project leader
+49 30 1208434-20
ilka.cussmann(at)rl-institut.de
RLI press release, 11 December 2025