Grid operator calls for more careful expansion of photovoltaics in Germany

German transmission grid operator 50Hertz has called for a more balanced and careful approach when it comes to the further expansion of solar photovoltaics (PV), saying there is a risk of overloading electricity transmission networks if complementing measures are not carried out properly. At a press conference in Berlin on Monday (10 March), the CEO of 50Hertz, Stefan Kapferer, highlighted “a growing number of difficulties in terms of affordability and system stability. That is why the further growth in the photovoltaic segment in particular should be guided by more realistic assumptions about the expected electricity consumption, by the development of grid infrastructure and by increased storage capacities to support the grid.”