Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by natmaka 615 days ago
Nearly each and every nation imports and exports, in order to optimize (better import low-cost or low-emission electricity than locally generate it thanks to some expensive and dirty plant).

The yearly balance (imports - exports) is key.
1 comments
Moldoteck 615 days ago
I meant net imports. France alone net exported to Germany 11TWh from those 20
link
natmaka 615 days ago
Uh?

2023 (last full year): 9.34 / 8.92

Source: https://energy-charts.info/charts/import_export/chart.htm?l=...

link
Moldoteck 615 days ago
I may be wrong, but this year = 2024, not 2023. Per your source: https://energy-charts.info/charts/import_export/chart.htm?l=...
link
natmaka 615 days ago
I may be wrong, but 2024 isn't yet a full year.

Moreover FR/DE isn't the main path anymore, and as DE sometimes plays as a gateway we have to take the complete balance into account.

link
Moldoteck 615 days ago
my OG comment clearly stated 'this year so far'. It's also obvious imports increased if you look per month net imports 2023 vs 2024. It doesn't matter the gateway, net imports do matter. Germany net imported 20TWh in 2024 so far and that's a fact. Germany net imported a lot more from neighbor states compared to last year and again, that's a fact.
link
Krasnol 615 days ago
The fact which is missing here is how much money Germany made with those trades.

As the other commenter wrote: trading, transfers, etc. is normal in the EU grid. You buy cheap, you sell expensive. Just because Germany imports electricity, doesn't mean it has to. The German grid, even in its unfinished state, allows turning off power generation where it doesn't make sense financially, and they can do that fast because they don't have those slow nuclear power generators clogging up the grid.

We'll see what comes of it when the year is finished and official sources release their information. Until then, you can translate this page here from the Federal Network Agency: https://www.smard.de/page/home/topic-article/444/213848

In the last paragraphs they write on in/exports and that they've bought cheap from France and Belgium in the last quarter. Why shouldn't they? France needs to have their reactors running. They are a constant deficit on the French taxpayer. Therefore, it is cheap on the EEX.

link