As here in Ontario and most of Canada we “fiddle while Rome burns” over the
aesthetic value (yes, they are an eyesore to some) of wind turbines on our
local horizon, Germany proceeds with its breathtakingly ambitious far-sighted plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80- 95% and convert to 60% renewable energy from 2010
to 2050. What’s not to like about this national approach, particularly with the emphasis on democratization
through local production and ownership?
Energy
transition in Germany
From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia
Energiewende (German for Energy transition) is the transition by Germany to a sustainable economy by means
of renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable development.
The final goal is the abolition of coal and other non-renewable energy. Renewable
energy encompasses wind, biomass (such as landfill gas and sewage
gas),hydropower, solar power (thermal and photovoltaic), geothermal,
and ocean power. These renewable sources are to
serve as an alternative to fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) and nuclear fuel (uranium).
Piecemeal measures often have only limited
potential, so a timely implementation for this transition requires multiple
approaches in parallel. Energy conservation and
improvements in energy efficiency thus
play a major role. An example of an effective energy conservation measure is
improved insulation for buildings; an example of
improved energy efficiency is co-generation of heat and power. Smart electric meters can
schedule energy consumption for times when electricity is available
inexpensively.
An example of a comprehensive approach is DESERTEC. This concept looks at dramatically
expanding the production of electricity from adjustable solar thermal power
plants in southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Linking the electricity
transmission networks of these regions would supplement the variable renewable
energy available locally with surpluses and adjustable renewable energy sources
from other regions.
The term
This term was the title of a 1980 publication
by the German Öko-Institut, calling for the complete
abandonment of nuclear and petroleum energy. On the 16th of February
of that year the German Federal Ministry of the Environment also hosted a
symposium in Berlin, called Energiewende – Atomausstieg und Klimaschutz (Energy
Transition: Nuclear Phase-Out and Climate Protection). The views of the
Öko-Institut, initially so strongly opposed, have gradually become common
knowledge in energy policy. In the following decades the term expanded in
scope; in its present form it dates back to at least 2002.
Energiewende designates
a significant change in energy policy: The term encompasses a
reorientation of policy from demand to supply and a shift from centralized to
distributed generation (for example, producing heat and power in very small
cogeneration units), which should replace overproduction and avoidable energy
consumption with energy-saving measures and increased efficiency.
In a broader sense this transition also
entails a democratization of
energy: In the traditional energy industry, a few large companies
with large centralized power stations dominate the market as an oligopoly and
consequently amass a worrisome level of both economic and political power.
Renewable energies, in contrast, can as a rule be established in a
decentralized manner. Public wind farms and solar parks can involve many
citizens directly in energy production. Photovoltaic systems can even be
set up by individuals. Municipal utilities can also benefit citizens
financially, while the conventional energy industry profits a relatively small
number of shareholders. Also significant, the decentralized structure of
renewable energies enables creation of value locally and minimizes capital
outflows from a region. Renewable energy sources therefore play an increasingly
important role in municipal energy policy, and local governments often promote
them.
Status
The key policy document outlining the Energiewende was
published by the German government in September 2010, some six months before
the Fukushima nuclear
accident. Legislative support was passed in 2011. Important aspects
include:
·
greenhouse gas reductions: 80–95%
reduction by 2050
·
renewable energy targets: 60% share by
2050 (renewables broadly defined as hydro, solar and wind power)
·
energy efficiency: electricity
efficiency up by 50% by 2050
·
an associated research and
development drive
The policy has been embraced by the German
federal government and has resulted in a huge expansion of renewables,
particularly wind power. Germany's
share of renewables has increased from around 5% in 1999 to 22.9% in 2012,
reaching close to the OECD average of 18% usage of renewables. Producers
have been guaranteed a fixed feed-in tariff for 20 years, guaranteeing a fixed
income. Energy co-operatives have been created, and efforts were made to
decentralize control and profits. The large energy companies have a
disproportionately small share of the renewables market. Nuclear power plants
were closed, and the existing 9 plants will close earlier than planned for, in
2022.
