Norwegian hydro-power giant Statkraft has developed a green power concept on an industrial scale to power German Daimler sites with a mix of 100% renewable sources.

A large share of the electricity supplied to the sites of the car manufacturer will be generated at German solar, wind and hydroelectric power plants. Statkraft will produce the remaining quantities in its hydropower plants.

The concept will be implemented by Luxembourgian power group Enovos, which holds the electricity supply contract with Daimler.

"To generate green electricity exactly when it is needed is a major challenge that can only be met with considerable flexibility in generation,” said Statkraft chief executive Christian Rynning-Tønnesen.

“Our flexible hydropower plants complement the fluctuating power generation from wind and solar so that a 100% renewable power supply is guaranteed at all times."

The wind power will be supplied from plants whose support under Germany's Renewable Energies Act (EEG) expires after 2020 and with that can continue to operate. In addition, subsidy-free solar projects are to be built in Germany and the electricity generated there will be used to supply Daimler.

Enovos is responsible for the entire energy management process, including physical delivery, balancing group management, billing, grid usage, consumption forecasts and hedging of green electricity quantities.

"We at Enovos are very pleased that we are making a significant contribution to this supply with our expertise in the energy industry and our long-standing customer relationship,” said Enovos Germany managing director Anke Langner.

“We are convinced that this will have a signal effect on the entire green power supply market.”

Daimler, Enovos and Statkraft had already implemented a CO2-neutral energy supply for the German Mercedes-Benz Cars plants. A power purchase agreement (PPA) enables Mercedes-Benz Cars to source electricity directly from wind farms in Germany.

Until this year, the EEG had guaranteed wind farm operators a fixed support for the energy they generated. As the EEG was passed in 2000 and enacted in 2001, first wind farms will lose their EEG support next year.

PPA’s can ensure that these wind farms can continue to operate, Statkraft said.