RWE plans to offer a system-stabilising secondary reserve, also known as automatic frequency restoration reserve, for the German power grid through its offshore wind farm, Amrumbank West, with a capacity of 60 megawatts (MW). This reserve complements primary and minute reserves to maintain grid frequency at 50 Hz, preventing potential grid failures. To participate, the wind farm’s bid power must be fully activated within five minutes. Starting in Q1 2025, RWE will market this reserve through daily balancing energy auctions, making the wind farm an active contributor to grid stability.
The Amrumbank West wind farm, located off the German North Sea coast, will not only generate electricity but also provide grid stability. RWE has years of experience in marketing and providing balancing reserve, and this marks its entry into wind-based grid stability. RWE plans to qualify additional wind and solar farms for the secondary reserve and will offer this service to external clients, generating new income streams for renewable energy plant operators.
Transmission system operators have extended their requirements to include additional conditions for wind assets to participate in the secondary reserve. This requires wind farms to precisely follow grid operator target values, even with changing wind speeds. Amrumbank West’s control system, developed by RWE and partner Generac Energy Services, responds quickly to short-term wind fluctuations while considering current wind forecasts. This infrastructure is designed for automated and scalable control of wind power.
The role of balancing power is crucial to ensure the target grid frequency of 50 Hz. When frequency fluctuations occur, transmission system operators call upon balancing power to correct the imbalance. The required capacity is auctioned daily, making this service essential to grid stability. By offering this reserve, RWE is further contributing to the grid’s stability and demonstrating its commitment to a reliable and sustainable energy supply.