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Besides enlarging the generation base using established technologies, our strategy in the field of renewables-based energy also encompasses in-house research and development work as well as the construction of demonstration plants.
We are focusing on finding new ways to generate electricity and heat from biological resources. Our first biogas plant to feed gas into the grid is being built in the community of Güterglück in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. At Grevenbroich-Neurath, Germany, a team of scientists is helping us identify ways to improve the efficiency Glossary of our 716-kW biogas facility in a project run by the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany. Wind power is also on our R&D agenda. The building specifications of wind farms at sea are very demanding. To make rapid progress in this area, we participated in the “Offshore Wind Accelerator” (OWA) initiative in which the British Carbon Trust pools the competencies of five leading energy companies.
Furthermore, RWE Innogy is investing in technologies that can be used to produce electricity from tidal and wave movements. Our strategy also envisages acquiring stakes in young companies developing promising technologies. In September 2008, RWE Innogy spent €7.5 million to acquire a minority interest in Quiet Revolution. The UK firm specializes in the development and construction of small wind power units, e.g. roof installations.
Expanding installed renewable energy capacity poses a challenge for power utilities in numerous respects. More of this significantly fluctuating electricity will be fed into the grid in the future. Therefore, it is important to develop new efficient storage concepts early on. Against this backdrop, RWE Power and General Electric (GE) have begun working on the development of a pressurized-air storage power station with heat recovery: When electricity supply is high, air is compressed and forced into subterranean cavities. This compressed air can be used to generate electricity when needed.
