Base load

Definition: base load, medium load, peak load

Base load, peak load and medium load play an important role in power generation. What is the base load? Base load refers to the amount of electricity – or electrical power – generated that is needed during the course of the day. The terms medium and peak load, on the other hand, refer to the power that is produced in addition to this, but is not needed all the time.[1]

Which power plants cover the base load?

Power plants that generate the base load and feed it into the power grid are also called base-load power plants. The power plants for generating the base load are in operation almost 24 hours a day. In Germany, most of them are lignite-fired, nuclear or hydroelectric power plants.

But where does the base load actually come from? The base load is mainly generated by consumers that are in use around the clock – for example, refrigerators or standby devices. However, there are also devices and systems outside of private households that are constantly in operation and thus increase the base load, for example the railroad or production facilities in factories. For Germany as a whole, the base load amounts to around 45 gigawatts per year.

We speak of medium and peak load when there is an increased demand for electricity during the course of the day. Thus, consumption exceeds the base load, especially in the morning and evening, but also at midday. If the base load, medium load and peak load are added together, they result in the total amount of electricity consumption.[2]

Calculation of the base load

How is the base load calculated?

Private households have various methods of calculating their own base load for electricity and home. Most network operators now offer their customers the installation of so-called "SmartMeters," digital electricity meters that make it very easy to track electricity consumption and thus the base load. Those who want to save the cost of the modern electricity meter can resort to alternative solutions for calculating the base load energy.

Probably the most obvious way to find out your base load for electricity is to monitor your own electricity meter. All you have to do is read the meter twice: once in the evening before you go to bed and once the next morning. The consumption can then be calculated in kilowatt hours using the following formula:

Meter reading in the morning – Meter reading in the evening = consumption

Then the calculated consumption is divided by the number of hours that have passed between the readings. The result is the base load for the household. For example:

30.000 kWh – 30.004 kWh = 4 kWh / 8 h = 0,5 kW

In this case, the base load would be 500 watts per hour.

The second method of calculating the base load requires the presence of a measuring socket. This is placed between the socket and the device and thus measures its current consumption, i.e. the base load. Caution: After placing the measuring socket, you should wait a short time before reading the value. Why? Most devices consume more power directly after startup than in continuous operation.

The disadvantage of the metering socket for measuring the base load is that you have to measure the consumption of each device individually. Therefore, to determine the base load, you need to go from device to device and add up all the values at the end. In addition, the socket cannot be used for all appliances. For example, it is not suitable for central heating, which is directly connected to the power grid.[3]

Characteristics of base load power plants

Power plants that generate base load and are therefore generally highly utilized must meet certain requirements. Ideally, they should have high availability and supply electricity continuously without too frequent or too long interruptions. It is also desirable for them to have as low an environmental impact as possible during continuous operation. Less important for base load, on the other hand, is a high rate of power change, i.e. the ability to regulate power quickly.

Base load power plants or base power plants usually achieve more than 5,000 full load hours per year, in some cases even more than 8,000 full load hours. These are often power plants of the following types:

  • Run-of-river power plants (operated on rivers)
  • Nuclear power plants
  • Coal-fired power plants (especially lignite)
  • Gas-fired power plants or gas-steam combined cycle power plants

Since base-load power plants must supply electricity continuously, geothermal power plants, for example, are also suitable for base load. Whether wind energy and photovoltaic plants have the same suitability for generating base load is still considered controversial.[1]

Base load costs

Why is there a base load?

The base load for electricity in single-family homes and other private households arises not only because of the amount of electrical power actually required, but also to a large extent because of unnecessary standby losses. These are mainly caused by not switching off electronic devices such as televisions and PCs. People who end the operation of certain devices simply by clicking on the remote control or the screen often do not switch them off completely. Instead, they still draw a small but nevertheless existing amount of power from the mains overnight. Only with a real off switch can such devices be completely disconnected from the mains and no longer consume power.

How much does the base load cost?

How much the base load costs depends, of course, on the size of the household and the number of people. But on average across Germany, the cost of the base load per household is at least 100 euros per year. So if you pay attention to lowering the base load for your property and household in everyday life, you can significantly reduce your electricity bill. The following tips will help you save:

  • Switch off all devices completely after use
  • Pull the plug out of the socket or switch off the socket
  • When buying new equipment, check not only prices, but also stand-by consumption.[4]

What else should you know about the base load?

In the discussion about base load and the energy transition, it is often claimed that renewable energies are not capable of reliably covering the demand for base load. However, new findings show that renewables could soon take over the entire power supply. It is therefore entirely possible to make photovoltaic and wind power plants capable of meeting base load requirements. Of course, investments will be needed to adapt power grids and power plants to the growing share of new energy producers. For example, the large fluctuations in solar and wind energy mean that decentralized, flexible power plants are needed. It is also necessary to develop and expand storage facilities that can absorb the electricity produced during demand lows. Another promising option is smart grids, which can be used to improve the utilization of existing power grids through IT measures.[2], [5]

Worth knowing about SFC Energy

What else should you know about SFC as a fuel cell expert?

SFC Energy is an expert in fuel cell technology and a supplier of hydrogen fuel cells and direct methanol fuel cells for stationary and mobile power applications. Whether outdoor for leisure or for industrial applications – SFC Energy delivers the optimal tool for mobile and off-grid power.[6]

Thus, the EFOY Hybrid Power offers the perfect combination of fuel cell and lithium battery. While the fuel cell generates the power, it is stored by the lithium battery – and the user can consume the supplied energy on the move at any time.

The EFOY Pro as well as the EFOY Hydrogen Fuel Cell extend the SFC product portfolio in the higher power range and are suitable for industrial applications as well as other critical infrastructures. The fuel cells reliably switch on automatically and take over the load without interruption. Typical applications for the EFOY Hydrogen Fuel Cell include emergency power supply of sensitive infrastructures, mobile phone infrastructure and smart traffic applications. Best of all, there are no emissions because SFC Energy’s hydrogen fuel cells are 100 percent climate-neutral.[6]

Conclusion

Base load refers to the minimum amount of electricity required during the course of the day. Base-load power plants are therefore in operation around the clock and must reliably produce electricity. What factors influence the base load? There are often various factors that influence the level of the base load. What these are varies from household to household. To calculate the cost of a household’s base load, one can measure electricity consumption during nighttime hours. While coal-fired, nuclear and run-of-river power plants have been the main sources of baseload power up to now, renewable energies could also play a greater role in the future.