The minute reserve is a type of grid reserve that is used in the energy industry to balance out short-term fluctuations in electricity demand and supply. It is activated to maintain the balance between generation and consumption and thus ensure the stability of the electricity grid. In Europe, particularly in Austria, the minute reserve is an essential component of the security of electricity supply.

The main objective of the minute reserve is to be able to react to unforeseen changes in electricity demand or generation within a few minutes. These changes can be caused by various factors, such as sudden outages of generation units, extreme weather conditions or unexpected consumption peaks. The minute reserve enables electricity grid operators to quickly mobilise additional capacity to compensate for these fluctuations.

In Austria, the minute reserve is coordinated by the Austrian transmission system operator APG (Austrian Power Grid). It is responsible for providing the necessary reserves and ensuring system stability. The minute reserve is generally provided by various generators, including conventional power plants, but also renewable energy sources and flexible consumers.

An important aspect of the minute reserve is the availability of generation capacity that can be ramped up quickly. These can be gas-fired power plants, for example, which are particularly suitable due to their fast response times. Modern technologies such as battery storage systems are also becoming increasingly important, as they are able to provide electricity within seconds and thus help to stabilise the grid.

At European level, the minute reserve is being integrated into a more comprehensive system of balancing energy markets. The EU is pursuing a strategy to promote the integration of renewable energies into the electricity grid while ensuring security of supply. In this context, the minute reserve plays a crucial role as it helps to balance the fluctuating feed-in of renewable energies such as wind and solar energy.

In addition to producers, consumers can also participate in the markets for minute reserve. Companies and households can use load management strategies to flexibly adjust their electricity consumption and thus contribute to grid stability. This form of demand-side management makes it possible to avoid bottlenecks in the electricity grid and reduce the need for additional generation capacity.

The costs for the provision of minute reserve are generally passed on to the end consumer by the grid operators. It is therefore important for suppliers to continuously optimise the efficiency of generation and the provision of reserves. At the same time, operators must ensure that they have sufficient capacity to meet regulatory requirements and the needs of the market.

Overall, the minute reserve is a crucial element in ensuring security of supply in the Austrian and European energy market. It enables a rapid response to unforeseen events and helps to maintain the integrity of the electricity grid. In view of the increasing integration of renewable energies and the challenges associated with the energy transition, the importance of the minute reserve is expected to increase further in the coming years. It is therefore of central importance to continuously develop and adapt the corresponding systems and markets in order to ensure a stable and reliable energy supply.