Bottlenecks in the electricity grid lead to gas connection requests

04.12.2025

Source: E & M powernews

In a webinar, the Energy Systems of the Future Initiative (ESYS) discussed the development of electricity demand for data centers in Germany and technical and regulatory options.

The "Deep Dive" held by the Energy Systems of the Future Initiative (ESYS) on December 3 focused on the prospects for data centers in Germany. There are currently around 2,000 data centers across Germany, which already consume around 20 billion kWh of electricity per year, i.e. 4 percent of gross electricity consumption.

Esys points out that this figure could increase to around 80 billion kWh by 2045 if growth continues. The increasing demand for energy is exacerbating existing challenges, such as grid connection, explained Boris Katzenmeyer from NRM Netzdienste Rhein-Main GmbH, a subsidiary of the energy supplier Mainova from Frankfurt am Main.

The company plans to increase its grid capacity by around 1,000 MW by 2037 and to lay more than 1,000 kilometers of new lines and build around ten new substations by 2040. Due to high capacity requests, the company has been using a pro-rata procedure since 2021, which distributes the connection capacities proportionately. Inquiries over 10 MW remained at a consistently high level.

Katzenmeyer also explained that bottlenecks in the electricity grid are leading to an increase in requests for gas connections because data center operators want to generate energy on site using alternatives such as gas engines or fuel cells.

In November 2024, the Federal Network Agency launched a consultation process on how to deal with grid capacities. A uniform industry solution has not been found, so it is still up to the grid operators to design suitable procedures.

Stable power supply essential for data centers

The Energy Efficiency Act also requires data centers to be supplied with 100% green electricity. In the webinar, experts discussed where there is potential for efficiency and which regulatory adjustments appear necessary.

Ralph Hintemann from the Borderstep Institute for Innovation and Sustainability in Berlin placed the German market in the context of international developments. He described double-digit percentage growth rates worldwide and emphasized that the US market is growing particularly dynamically due to applications in the field of artificial intelligence.

Although Germany cannot keep pace with these rates, it is showing strong development within Europe. According to Hintemann, investments in Germany will reach a high level in 2025: 3.3 billion euros for buildings and technical infrastructure and 12 billion euros for IT hardware. According to him, cloud services and artificial intelligence are key drivers.

More efficient operation possible

Kristel Michielsen from the Jülich Supercomputing Center at Forschungszentrum Jülich presented the Jupiter supercomputer. She explained how the highly efficient computer is structured and what requirements it places on energy supply and cooling. Johannes Krafczyk from T-Systems, a unit of Deutsche Telekom based in Bonn, shed light on efficiency potential in operation.

Krafczyk put the power requirements of the IT platforms, which include servers, storage and network technology, as well as the applications required for operation, development and administration, at around 78 percent of the total consumption in the data center. Around 22 percent was accounted for by building technology such as air conditioning and security systems. According to him, savings could be achieved through adapted cooling concepts or higher operating temperatures.

The T-Systems expert also outlined technical trends. Containerization and cloud technologies could temporarily switch off unused resources. "Green coding" and the increased use of ARM processors reduce the power requirement per computing operation. Serverless computing also enables a more granular use of resources. Krafczyk pointed out that the operation of AI platforms places particular demands on performance and cooling, but at the same time allows load shifting that can support the power grid.

Integrating data centers into the energy system

Finally, the experts discussed how data centers can be integrated into urban planning in the future. This included, for example, concepts for the use of waste heat or for temporary local energy supply via solar systems, wind power, battery storage or conventional technology. The question of whether data centers should generate their own electricity also played a role. According to Esys, it is crucial to reconcile ecological and economic requirements and to continue using existing infrastructures.

Esys coordinates Acatech, the German Academy of Science and Engineering with the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities.

The data center contributions are published on the Esys website.

Author: Susanne Harmsen