Animated videos for grid expansion

The Bundesnetzagentur created animated online videos in order to present to the public highly accessible, comprehensive and reliable information about the five steps involved in the complex legislative procedure for grid expansion in Germany.

Objectives:

• Communicate the idea that the energy transition (Energiewende) concerns everybody and highlight participation possibilities in the planning process
• Provide the public with accurate, reliable and comprehensive information about the formal procedure of grid expansion planning, therefore increasing transparency of the procedure
• Visualize the different steps of grid planning for a broader audience
• Reach a younger audience by using the internet/social media

 

Main information:

The Bundesnetzagentur commissioned five three-minute long animated videos to explain the five steps of the grid expansion planning procedure in Germany. The videos are available on YouTube and shown at conferences, public dialogues and events.

Every video has an individual setting (representing an everyday situation) to create personal associations, making people feel like they are becoming a part of the process of the Energiewende. The project aims at reaching younger generations, who are not explicitly involved in the public participation of the grid expansion process, by broadening the range of media used for communication. The videos also emphasize the link between the integration of renewables and the need for grid expansion.

To date, three videos have been published, with high hits compared to other videos from governmental authorities. Positive responses provoked ideas for additional, even shorter videos concerning other aspects of grid expansion, such as underground cables or AC/DC technology. The spectrum of themes and videos will be developed further. YouTube hits, YouTube comments and tweets are used to evaluate the general acceptance and influence of the project.

Additional information:

The legislative procedure of grid expansion in Germany described in the videos starts with the TSOs drafting a scenario framework, describing likely developments in the German energy landscape. Next, a network development plan is constructed and its impact on the environment assessed. Third, the Federal Requirements Plan is presented to the legislative body. Afterwards, the federal sectoral planning and in a last step the route planning procedure take place.