German utility E.ON has connected its two millionth renewable energy plant to its German distribution network at a wind park in Ahlum, between Braunschweig and Wolfenbüttel, marking a rapid acceleration in the country’s energy transition.
The milestone plant belongs to SAB Windteam and is connected via the regional grid operated by E.ON subsidiary Avacon, and was achieved just two and a half years after the first million connections that took over 15 years.
Thomas König, E.ON SE Board Member for Networks, attributes the rapid pace to a €10 billion investment programme over the past two years on grid connections and modernisation, plus 6,000 additional employees. The company has also rolled out digital self-service tools like the SNAPpro (“Fast Grid Connection Check”) online portal which allows developers to obtain an initial, non-binding grid assessment within seconds for wind and photovoltaic installations with feed-in capacities of up to 100 MW. Operators planning to connect a renewable energy plant can query their desired grid connection point and receive near real-time feedback, significantly accelerating planning processes.
E.ON’s distribution grid now hosts around 110 GW of renewable capacity – exceeding Germany’s peak electricity demand of 80 GW – with connections averaging one every two minutes. Despite managing only a third of Germany’s total grid length, its networks host roughly 70% of the country’s onshore wind capacity and nearly half of all solar installations.
König emphasised that sustaining this momentum will require regulatory reform, calling for streamlined grid connection rules, faster permitting procedures and clearer local siting signals to prioritise viable projects and align infrastructure expansion with the next wave of renewable installations – ensuring the Energiewende remains affordable and on track.
