Volatile but predictable: Forecasting renewable power generation

The share of electricity from weather-dependent wind and solar energy in the German power mix keeps growing. That puts pressure on the electricity sector to be much more flexible in managing power demand and supply. The need for precise predictions of how much power will be fed into the grid at any given moment is becoming increasingly important. Accurate weather forecasts provide the basis but grid operators, electricity traders and renewable power plant operators themselves now rely on a new industry specialising in predictions tailored to the sector.