How Bayernwerk is smartly integrating the energy transition

13.11.2025

Source: E & M powernews

Innovation, digitalization, AI - essential prerequisites for advancing the energy transition. That is clear to Bayernwerk CEO Leo Westphal. Especially when things have to move quickly.

At "InnoDay" at the company's headquarters in Regensburg, the energy supplier presented all the ideas that the Eon subsidiary Bayernwerk has devised to accelerate and facilitate the transition to renewable energy sources and, above all, their integration into the electricity grid.

At the event, Bayernwerk CEO Egon Leo Westphal highlighted the enormous changes that the energy system has undergone in recent years, and not just in Bavaria: On sunny days, up to 13,400 MW of feed-in must be managed in grid operation. Up to 7,000 MW - more than Bavaria's maximum consumption load - is fed into the European transmission grid on such days. At the same time, he also referred to the problems associated with the fact that for a long time, progress in the energy transition was only measured by the number of renewable energy feed-in systems. This is a thing of the past, he said, and today the focus must be on unleashing the energy grids and the entire energy system after renewables. "Our technological innovative strength is crucial in order to bring the energy system of tomorrow into balance and really get it up and running." Only then will the energy transition be a success and be able to fully exploit its potential for people.

Bringing all components of the system together

Westphal also addressed his company's high level of investment in grid expansion and conversion. In the years 2025 and 2026, a cumulative total of more than 4 billion euros will be invested. "Innovation and creative ideas are needed to bring all the components of the system together in the end," said the CEO. And the company demonstrated what these are at the innovation trail that was set up at the Regensburg headquarters.

• First of all, there are the "Local Energy Communities". The idea behind them is that electricity is generated and consumed regionally - which is not only good for the grids, but also for consumers' wallets. Consumers are shown the times with the cheapest electricity prices via software and can also use them. A pilot project is currently underway in the district of Bamberg.
• Overbuilding and "Snap" are further forward-looking approaches to integrating renewables. The aim of the project is to use the already abundant grid connections for solar systems in Bavaria for wind turbines at the same time. It has been calculated that this would allow an additional 4,900 MW of wind power to be integrated into the grid. As studies have shown, wind and solar hardly compete with each other in terms of feed-in.
• And the Snap software helps to bring the players, i.e. PV system owners, wind millers and grid operators, together quickly: Whereas in the past countless forms had to be sent back and forth, all information can now be called up quickly on a PC and, above all, exchanged. The basis for this is the Federal Network Agency's Market Master Data Register (MaStR).
• Substations in containers. Another bottleneck in the energy transition: Substations. Bayernwerk has to build hundreds of new ones. Here, too, things are now supposed to move faster. Whereas each plant used to be unique, they are now to be built off the shelf. Container substations are the order of the day. They are compact, a complete 110 kV system can be accommodated in 13 meters: a space saving of 85 percent. They are primarily used to bridge bottlenecks during construction work, a kind of bypass. Three projects are already underway.
• Other innovative projects are primarily concerned with obtaining information from grid operation and using it to advantage. One example is the Heimdall sensors, which are installed directly on high-voltage conductor cables and provide a wide range of operating data. This has the effect that an overhead line can be loaded 40 to 50 percent more than the manufacturer specifies. These are designed for worst-case scenarios. The load on ten lines is currently being monitored and controlled using the sensors. The aim is to have 40 by the end of 2026.
• There are also projects for intelligent control in the area of local grid stations, as well as innovative monitoring systems that can detect faults in the high and medium voltage range and thus enable repairs to be carried out in good time - ideally before an outage occurs.

Author: Günter Drewnitzky