»This study deals with the environmental friendliness of energy networks. Energy networks, too, have an impact on the environment. Their immediate impact is obvious: overhead power lines dominate and mar the landscape an beyond this impair the environment through electromagnetic fields. However, energy networks also have indirect effects on the environment. For example, power transmission networks can be designed and controlled in a manner that makes certain sections of the network particularly suitable for feeding in electricity from environmentally friendly power supply plants. Or, for another example, gas pipelines can be dimensioned in a manner that facilitates the feed-in of biomethane. Furthermore energy networks can be operated such that the load profiles of the connected suppliers and consumers are made to match and energy is thus saved. The environmental impact of networks can be determined by whether they can accommodate environmentally friendly plants or permit energy efficiency measures to be performed. The purpose of the present dissertation was to determine what is meant by the term "environmental friedliness" as used in the German Energy Economy Law, whether this has any specific legal consequences and, if so, what impact this could have on the structure and control of energy networks.«
ETDE Energy Database, April 2009