Germany‘s Renewable Energy Revolution

Paul Hockenos

www.phockenos.com

BLOG: Going Renewable

The Energiewende

Rationale for the Energiewende

• Climate protection

• Nuclear power is unsafe

• Cut expensive imports, boost domestic revenue (value added)

• Increase energy security

Goals of the Energiewende

• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020, 55% by 2030, and 80-95% by 2050 (compared with 1990).

• By 2020, the share of renewables in final energy consumption is to reach 18%, and then gradually increase further to 30% by 2030 and 60% by 2050. Germany wants an 45% share in electricity production by 2025 and 80% by 2050.

• Energy efficiency: Reduction of primary energy consumption by 20% by 2020 and 50% by 2050 compared with 2008.

• Double the building renovation rate from 1% to 2%.• Cut energy consumption in the transport sector by around

10% by 2020 and around 40% by 2050. Germany wants to have six million electric vehicles on the roads by 2030.

The Anti-Nuclear Power Movement

Chernobyl disaster spring 1986

The Red-Green Coalition

Germany’s Electricity Mix

Development of RE in Germany‘s Energy Supply 1998-2012

Source: BMU; latest update: 3/13

Electricity Production from Renewable Energies

Decentralized Energy Supply

Renewable Energy Ownership

Germany’s Energy Co-ops

Jobs in Renewable Energy

Renewables and the German Economy

Growing Economy, Declining Emissions

Renewables and the German Economy

Issues and Shortcomings

1. Reserve capacity and the missing money

2. Much slower progress in heat, fuel, transportation, efficiency

3. Grid expansion slow

4. Coal too prominent, EU ETS broken

5. Merkel herself very indecisive

6. Winners and losers

7. Fossil fuels lobby fighting back

8. Costs to consumers have risen

9. Destabilzing Polish and Czech power grids

10. EU-level contradictions

German citizens want the Energiewende