Short-term Resilience of Renewables During COVID-19 First Wave Lockdowns

The primary objective of this research is to determine the percentage change in the electricity generation mix, as well as to compare the resilience (ability of a power system to resist and recover from disruptive events and emerging threats) of renewable power systems to traditional fossil fuel and nuclear power systems. This study examined the percentage change in total electrical loads, total generation, net trade, renewables, fossil fuels, and nuclear generation; share of renewables; and CO
2
emissions. To analyze the resilience of renewable electricity during this pandemic crisis, four performance metrics were used: (1) total renewable generation, (2) share of renewables, (3) renewable capacity expansion, and (4) CO
2
emissions. According to the findings of a case study conducted in Germany, the share of renewables was 48 percent, with wind generating the most electricity; an increase of 4.1 percent over the same period from last year; the top ten days of renewable generation were between 73 and 77 percent of the total electricity generation; the renewable capacity expansion from wind, solar, biomass, hydro, and hydro storage reached 58.74 percent of the total installed capacity; and the CO
2
emissions decreased by 11.8 percent (due to the high renewable generation and decrease in fossil fuel demand). Throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns in Germany, the electrical generation mix data clearly demonstrated the short-term resilience of renewables during this pandemic crisis and economic slowdown.