Baseload power plants are not essential for future power systems

The transition to decarbonized energy systems has fueled a controversial debate over the necessity of traditional ''baseload'' power.Skepticism remains regarding the reliability and economic feasibility of power systems relying mainly on cheap variable renewable energy (VRE) sources.Addressing this, the German Academies' project ''Energy Systems of the Future'' (ESYS) analyzed the role of baseload power plants within a decarbonized, continental-scale energy system.Their findings indicate that a secure, net-zero European electricity system is technically robust and economically viable when based on VRE paired with extensive flexibility, storage, and grid interconnections, without requiring new baseload capacity.The integration of new low-carbon baseload technologies, such as nuclear fission or fusion, natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS), or geothermal energy, has a marginal impact on overall system costs.While low-cost baseload technologies could be efficiently integrated to achieve high utilization, their future role is contingent on achieving cost reductions beyond current realities.

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Publication Details

Journal
Cell Reports Physical Science
Published
2025-12-31
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.103050
Primary Topic
Integrated Energy Systems Optimization
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Baseload power plants are not essential for future power systems

Philipp Stöcker, Jochen Kreusel, Sven Wurbs, Hans-Martin Henning et al.
Cell Reports Physical Science
Integrated Energy Systems Optimization
article

Baseload power plants are not essential for future power systems

Philipp Stöcker, Jochen Kreusel, Sven Wurbs, Hans-Martin Henning, H. Spliethoff, Christoph Luderer, Anke Weidlich, J. Hanson, W. Münch, Berit Erlach, Wilhelm Kiewitt, Albrecht Reuter, Cyril Stephanos, Karen Pittel, Frank Sensfuß, Albert Moser, Manfred Fischedick, Wolf-Peter Schill, Dirk Uwe Sauer, Christoph Weber, Frank-Detlef Drake
article en

Abstract

The transition to decarbonized energy systems has fueled a controversial debate over the necessity of traditional ''baseload'' power.Skepticism remains regarding the reliability and economic feasibility of power systems relying mainly on cheap variable renewable energy (VRE) sources.Addressing this, the German Academies' project ''Energy Systems of the Future'' (ESYS) analyzed the role of baseload power plants within a decarbonized, continental-scale energy system.Their findings indicate that a secure, net-zero European electricity system is technically robust and economically viable when based on VRE paired with extensive flexibility, storage, and grid interconnections, without requiring new baseload capacity.The integration of new low-carbon baseload technologies, such as nuclear fission or fusion, natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS), or geothermal energy, has a marginal impact on overall system costs.While low-cost baseload technologies could be efficiently integrated to achieve high utilization, their future role is contingent on achieving cost reductions beyond current realities.

Cell Reports Physical ScienceVol. 7(1)
German Institute for Economic Research (DE), Energie Baden-Württemberg (Germany) (DE), Ifo Institute for Economic Research (DE), University of Freiburg (DE), Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy (DE), Acatech (DE), Technische Universität Darmstadt (DE), Fichtner (Germany) (DE), MVV Energie (Germany) (DE), Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (DE), Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (DE), University of Duisburg-Essen (DE), Technical University of Munich (DE), RWTH Aachen University (DE), FH Aachen (DE)
Affordable and clean energy
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Integrated Energy Systems Optimization
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