Renewable energy in Germany

The share of electricity from renewable energy in Germany has increased from 6.3 percent in 2000 to over 14 percent in 2007. More than 9 billion euros (US$12.7 billion) was invested in new renewable energy installations in Germany in 2006. Some 240,000 people in Germany were employed in the renewable energy sector in 2006, especially in small and medium sized companies. Over half of these jobs are attributed to the Renewable Energy Sources Act. [ [http://www.bmu.de/pressemitteilungen/aktuelle_pressemitteilungen/pm/39983.php Press release BMU] ] [ [http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5430 Germany Leads Way on Renewables, Sets 45% Target by 2030] ]

Renewable energy targets

Since 1997, Germany and the other states of the European Union have been working towards a target of 12% renewable energy by 2010. This target was surpassed already in 2007 when the renewable energy share in Germany reached 14%. [ [http://www.erneuerbare-energien.de/inhalt/40791/5466/ Share in electricity supply has gone up to 14 per cent] ] On April 26, 2007, Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel announced that this target would rise to 27% by 2020. Electricity use is to be cut by 11%, and the number of cogeneration plants is to double. [ [http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL2654181520070426 Germany sets tougher goals to protect climate] , Reuters, published 2007-04-26, accessed 2007-04-27.]

The following table shows the increases in renewable energy production over recent years in TWh: [ [http://www.erneuerbare-energien.de/inhalt/41021/39882/ Daten zur Entwicklung der erneuerbaren Energien im Jahr 2999] ]

Policy

The renewable energy sector benefited when the Alliance '90/The Greens party joined the Federal Government between 1998 and 2005. The renewable energy sector was aided especially by the law that required businesses to buy energy generated from renewable sources first before buying energy from non-renewable sources. People who produce energy in their own homes have a guarantee by the government that they can sell their 'product' at fixed prices for a period of 20 years. This has created a surge in the production of clean energy.

For the 2005-2010 period the Federal Government set aside nearly 800 million euros for scientific research in the country. That research is going to be earmarked for policies of long-lasting development.

Additionally, in 2001 a law passed requiring the closing of all nuclear power plants within a period of 32 years. The idea is that in 2020 nuclear energy will not be used anywhere in the country.

The German energy policy is framed within the European Union, and the March 2007 European Council in Brussels approved a mandatory energy plan that requires a 20% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions before the year 2020 and the consumption of renewable energies to be 20% of total EU consumption (compared to 7% in 2006) [ [http://www.eu2007.de/en/News/Press_Releases/March/0309BKBruessel.html EU2007.de - Historical agreement on climate protection ] ] . The accord indirectly acknowledged the role of nuclear energy -- which is not renewable -- in the reduction of the emission of Greenhouse gas, allowing each member state to decide whether or not to use nuclear generated electricity.

Also a compromise was reached to achieve a minimum quota of 10% Biofuels in the total consumption of gasoline and Diesel in transport in 2020.

See also: Nuclear energy policy, Berlin Declaration (2007), Common Foreign and Security Policy

Wind power

:"See main article: Wind power in Germany"
Germany is the world's largest user of wind power with an installed capacity of 22,247 MW by the end of 2007, ahead of Spain which had an installed capacity of 11,615 MW. [ [http://www.gwec.net/uploads/media/07-02_PR_Global_Statistics_2006.pdf Global wind energy markets continue to boom – 2006 another record year] ] 19,460 wind turbines are located in the German federal area and the country has plans to build more wind turbines. [ [http://www.wind-energie.de/en/wind-energy-in-germany/overview/ Wind energy in Germany -- overview] ]

Wind power currently produces about six percent of Germany's total power and it is said that no other country has more technological know-how in this area. Wind power in Germany provides over 70,000 people with jobs and German wind energy systems are also exported. [ [http://www.wind-energie.de/en/wind-energy-in-germany/overview/ Wind energy in Germany -- overview] ]

However, the economics of wind power in Germany are under close scrutiny [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4944046.stm Germany's wind farms challenged] ] and there are other issues which deserve consideration. These include the effect of wind turbines on the landscape, the effect on the bird population, and the effect on the tourist industry. [ [http://www.wind-energie.de/en/wind-energy-in-germany/overview/ Wind energy in Germany -- overview] ] [ [http://www.environmental-expert.com/resulteacharticle4.asp?cid=6471&codi=6293 Renewable energies: between climate protection and nature conservation?] ]

Photovoltaic solar power

Germany overtook Japan as the world's largest producer of PV electricity in 2005 with 39% of world capacity compared to 38% for Japan. [ [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/science/20070510TDY03003.htm Japan lags behind Europe in solar power] , The Daily Yomiuri, published 2007-05-10, accessed 2007-05-14] Germany was also the fastest growing major photovoltaic (PV) market in the world in 2005. In 2005, 837 megawatts of PV were installed. The German PV industry generates over 10,000 jobs in production, distribution and installation. Over 90% of solar PV installations are in grid-tied applications in Germany. The balance is off-grid (or stand alone) systems. [ [http://www.solarbuzz.com/FastFactsGermany.htm German PV market] ]

Completed in 2006, the 12 MW Solarpark Gut Erlasee photovoltaic system, near Arnstein in Bavaria, is currently the world's largest PV system. [ [http://investors.sunpowercorp.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=179406 SunPower Announces the Opening of SOLON's Solarpark Gut Erlasse] ] The 10 MW Solarpark Bavaria in Germany was also the largest PV installation when completed in 2005, covering 25 hectares (62 acres) with 57,600 photovoltaic panels. [ [http://www.coplan-online.de/referenzen/solarpark-e.pdf Solarpark Bavaria] ]

The Pocking Solar Park is a 20 megawatt (MWp) solar power plant which is among the largest photovoltaic solar power plants in the world. Construction and assembly of the power plant started in August 2005 and was completed in March 2006. On the former military training area in the Lower-Bavarian town of Pocking, sheep are now grazing under and around the 57,912 photovoltaic modules. [ [http://www.solarserver.de/solarmagazin/anlage_0606_e.html The world’s largest photovoltaic solar power plant is in Pocking] ]

Building approval has been given for the Waldpolenz Solar Park, which will be the world’s biggest photovoltaic (PV) power system, at a former military air base to the east of Leipzig in Germany. The power plant will be a 40-megawatt solar power system using state-of-the-art thin film technology, and should be finished by the end of 2008 [ [http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsEUPR331.htm Building Approval Granted for 40 MW Photovoltaic Project] ] 550,000 First Solar thin-film modules will be used, which will supply 40,000MWh of electricity per year. [ [http://www.juwi.de/international/information/press/PR_Solar_Power_Plant_Brandis_2007_02_eng.pdf World’s largest solar power plant being built in eastern Germany] ]

At the end of 2004, 79% of all European electricity production capacity from photovoltaic was in Germany, where 794 MWp had been installed.Fact|date=November 2007 At the end of 2006 Germany had already 3100 MWp installed. (Europe: 3400 MWp).Fact|date=November 2007 The European Commission anticipates that Germany may have installed around 4,500 MWp by 2010. [ [http://ec.europa.eu/energy/res/sectors/photovoltaic_en.htm Innovation and technological development in energy] ]

Renewable energy industry

Germany's renewable energy sector is among the most innovative and successful worldwide. Nordex, Repower, and Enercon are wind power companies based in Germany. SolarWorld and Conergy are solar power companies based in Germany. These companies dominate the world market. Every third solar panel and every second wind rotor is made in Germany, and German turbines and generators used in hydro energy generation are among the most popular worldwide. [ [http://news.monstersandcritics.com/energywatch/features/article_1294414.php/%60Green%60_energy_boom_in_Germany Green energy boom in Germany] ]

Nearly 800,000 people work in the German environment technology sector; an estimated 214,000 people work with renewables in Germany, up from 157,000 in 2004, an increase of 36 percent. [ [http://news.monstersandcritics.com/energywatch/features/article_1294414.php/%60Green%60_energy_boom_in_Germany Green energy boom in Germany] ] Germany's main competitor is Japan, with which it dominates the solar energy sector. [ [http://news.monstersandcritics.com/energywatch/features/article_1294414.php/%60Green%60_energy_boom_in_Germany Green energy boom in Germany] ]

ee also

*Energy policy of the European Union
*Nuclear power in Germany
*Passivhaus
*Pocking Solar Park in Germany
*Renewable energy commercialization
*Renewable energy in the European Union
*Waldpolenz Solar Park
*Wind power in Germany
*Renewable energy in Spain
*List of renewable energy topics by country
*List of countries by renewable electricity production

References

External links

* [http://www.erneuerbare-energien.de/inhalt/36601/36356/ Parliamentary State Secretary Astrid Klug: Renewable Energy Development in Germany]
* [http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2396828,00.html Despite climate concerns, Germany plans 26 coal power plants]
* [http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50746 For German Homeowners, Renewable Energy is No Longer a Choice]