klz-cables.com/data/blog/en/eye-opening-realities-of-green-energy-transformation.mdx

---
title: Eye-opening realities of green energy transformation
date: '2024-12-30T10:55:32'
featuredImage: '/uploads/2024/12/green-electric-plug-concept-2023-11-27-05-30-00-utc-scaled.webp'
locale: en
category: Kabel Technologie
---
# Eye-opening realities of green energy transformation
<h4>Despite its importance, this invisible infrastructure is often overlooked.</h4>
In many areas, the technologies are not yet fully developed and there is still a lot of potential for improvement. The cable industry is a key factor in the efficiency of the energy transition. It can and should make an important contribution to making the use of green energy truly sustainable. It is time to focus more on the details of the infrastructure in order to drive forward the entire energy transition and ensure that renewable energy can be used reliably and efficiently in the long term.
## TLDR;
- Over 10% of solar energy is lost due to poor-quality cables.
- Poor-quality cables with high resistance increase energy losses.
- High-quality cables with better conductivity reduce losses and improve efficiency.
- Wind farms without energy storage lose surplus energy.
- Energy storage systems like batteries or pumped storage plants enable efficient use of surplus energy.
- High costs and limited capacities are challenges for energy storage, but technological progress is improving the situation.
- Power line corridors can serve as habitats for wildflowers, bees, and endangered species.
- In Germany, &#8220;ecological route maintenance&#8221; is used to promote natural habitats along power lines.
- Similar projects to enhance nature along power lines also exist in Switzerland.

<h4>Fact 1: Over 10% of solar power is lost through bad cables</h4>
There is an often overlooked problem with solar power systems: energy loss due to bad cables. Imagine you have a system that generates power from solar energy, but some of that power is simply lost before it even reaches you. This happens due to the resistance in the cables that carry the electricity from the solar panels to the appliances or to the grid. If the cables are not of good quality, this resistance increases and more energy is lost – and this can account for over **10% of the total solar power generated**.
But why does this happen? Every cable has a resistance that slows down the flow of electricity. The poorer the quality of the cable, the more energy is lost in the form of heat. This means that less of the electricity produced by the solar system actually reaches you and can be used. And that is obviously a problem, especially when you consider how much is invested in the installation of a solar system.
## Green energy is a central component of our future today &#8230; But it is not enough to simply rely on these energy sources. The infrastructure that brings this energy to us efficiently plays an equally crucial role.
High-quality cables, on the other hand, have better conductivity and lower resistance. This ensures that the **electricity flows more efficiently and less is lost**. This leaves more of the generated energy for you to use – which is not only good for your electricity bill, but also helps to maximize the sustainability of your solar system. So it&#8217;s worth paying attention to quality when choosing cables in order to exploit the full potential of green energy.
<VisualLinkPreview 
  url="https://ratedpower.com/blog/utility-scale-pv-losses/"
  title="Ultimate guide to utility-scale PV system losses — RatedPower"
  summary="What are solar PV system losses and how can you avoid them to maximize the electrical output from your utility-scale plant project?"
  image="https://assets.ratedpower.com/1694509274-aerial-view-solar-panels-top-building-eco-building-factory-solar-photovoltaic-cell.jpg?auto=format&fit=crop&h=630&w=1200"
/>
<h4>Fact 2: Wind farms without energy storage are not that efficient</h4>
Wind farms have a similar problem to solar plants: energy losses due to fluctuating power generation. Imagine a wind farm produces electricity, but the wind does not blow constantly. This means that at certain times the wind turbines generate more electricity than is actually needed, while at other times, when the wind drops, they can supply almost no electricity at all. In both cases, a lot of energy is lost or not used. Without a way to **store surplus energy**, there is a gap between the energy generated and the actual use, which significantly reduces the efficiency of the entire system.The solution to this problem lies in** energy storage systems** such as batteries or pumped storage power plants. These technologies make it possible to store surplus energy when the wind is blowing strongly and therefore more electricity is produced than is required at the moment. This stored energy can then be used on demand when the wind dies down or demand is particularly high. This ensures that all the electricity generated is used efficiently instead of being lost unused. Without these storage technologies, the full potential of wind energy remains untapped and the efficiency of wind farms remains far below their actual value.
However, despite their importance, energy storage systems are associated with challenges. High costs and limited capacity continue to make the development and installation of these storage technologies a difficult endeavor. But technological progress has not stood still: New innovations in storage technologies and increasingly improved scalability are making it more and more realistic to equip wind farms with **effective and cost-efficient storage systems**. This is crucial for the future of wind energy, because only by overcoming these challenges can wind energy fully contribute to ensuring a stable and sustainable energy supply.
<VisualLinkPreview 
  url="https://www.solarenergie.de/stromspeicher/arten/stromspeicher-windkraft"
  title="Speicher für Windenergie: Welche Möglichkeiten gibt es?"
  summary="Speicher für Windenergie: Welche Möglichkeiten gibt es? Windkraftanlagen mit Speicher im privaten und im öffentlichen Bereich ✓ Wie kann man Windenergie speichern? – Lernen Sie hier bereits existente und sich derzeit in der Forschung befindende Verfahren der Zukunft kennen!"
  image="https://assets.solarwatt.de/Resources/Persistent/e084aa09af5f0cdef386088bc558a52d81509cc0/Regenerative%20Energie-1200x628.jpg"
/>
<h4>Fact 3: Power lines can be used as habitats for biodiversity</h4>
Did you know that power lines – the high-voltage lines that transport electricity from power plants to our homes and businesses – can also be used as** habitats for animals and plants**? These areas, which often need to be kept clear to make room for the power lines, provide a valuable opportunity to actively promote biodiversity and contribute to environmental stewardship at the same time.Traditionally, the areas along power lines have often been regarded as “wasteland” with no particular significance. However, innovative approaches to green infrastructure are increasingly creating valuable habitats here. Today, wildflower meadows, bee pastures and shrubs are planted along power lines, providing habitats for many endangered species. These meadows are not only a source of food for bees, butterflies and other pollinators, but also a refuge for birds and small animals that are finding less and less habitat in other parts of the landscape.
In Germany, this is a growing concept known as “**ecological route maintenance**”. Here, care is taken to ensure that the areas along the power lines are designed in a near-natural way so that biodiversity is promoted. This creates flowering meadows and habitats for numerous insect species, which are finding less and less space due to the intensive use of agriculture and urbanization. There are also similar projects in Switzerland in which nature is specifically promoted along power lines.