aream Press release

Many nuclear power stations across Europe have been shut down due to a lack of cooling water. Hungary is temporarily losing half of its electricity generation as a result of the outage at the Paks nuclear power station. This is not an operational accident. It is the consequence of an energy system that relies on a small number of large power stations, thereby creating a concentration of risk. The dry summer has laid this risk bare. And yet such hot months are set to become more common rather than less so. – A commentary by Markus W. Voigt, Executive Chairman of the aream Group.

Artificial intelligence is still a stock market favourite – but the hopes pinned on it are now running into the trillions. However, data centres and the training of AI models require ever-increasing amounts of electricity. “Renewable energies therefore play a key role in the widespread adoption of this technology of the future”, comments Markus Voigt, Executive Chairman of the aream Group.

It is only a minor regulatory change, but it has the potential to significantly transform the market for green electricity and battery storage in Germany. “To maintain the stability of the electricity grid, grid operators pay power stations and storage facilities to keep reserve capacity available at short notice. “Until now, anyone wishing to offer this reserve had to guarantee it for at least four hours at a time”, says Markus W. Voigt, Executive Chairman of the aream Group. “From autumn 2026, there will also be the option of guaranteeing it for just 15 minutes.” A minor technical change in the German balancing energy market is thus opening up a new business model for operators of solar parks with battery storage.

In the face of geopolitical crises, Europe needs secure and cost-effective energy solutions, and some regard nuclear power as a climate-friendly alternative. Yet examples from France and the UK prove the opposite. “Nuclear power is too expensive, too slow and not as reliable as is often assumed,” comments Patrick Lemcke-Braselmann, CEO of the aream Group. “The consistent expansion of renewable energies remains the only path that is not only sustainable but also delivers a return on investment much more quickly.”