Released May 21, 2014 | GALWAY, IRELAND
en
Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) - Germany's planned transition away from nuclear power has received a welcome boost as renewable energy accounted for 27% of the country's electricity demand in the first quarter of this year.
The new record is up from 23% for the same period in 2013, according to the latest figures from the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW). Electricity from renewable energy climbed from 35.7 terawatt hours (TWh) to 40.2 TWh during the first quarter. The reasons for the renewables increase were put down to the addition of more generation capacity and favorable weather conditions.
While windfarms produced about 19% more electricity than the same quarter last year, the real star was solar photovoltaic (PV), where production jumped by almost 70%.
The BDEW said that between January and March, windfarms produced 17.8 TWh of electricity, which is up from 14.9 TWh in the 2013 first quarter. For the same period, solar power rose from 3.3 TWh to an estimated 5.7 TWh. Despite the great start to 2014, the BDEW was cautious not to predict a massive renewables surge for the whole year.
"This development in the first quarter, however, should not be an indicator for the full year of 2014," it stated. "Electricity generation from renewable sources usually vacillate depending on the season and weather conditions. The share of renewable energies for the year could average out and be below the quarterly values achieved so far."
Solar power benefitted from March being the third sunniest March since records began in the 1950s. Solar output topped 20 gigawatts (GW) for seven consecutive days, marking a record high for the period.
Germany's strong drive toward renewables has come at a high price. In February, it was revealed that Germany is paying up to 50% more than other European Union (EU) countries for domestic electricity, thanks largely to its switch to renewable energy which is heavily subsidized by the government. For additional information, see February 13, 2014, article - Germany Paying 50% More for Electricity.
Last month, the government set out to rein things in when a major overhaul of Germany's renewable energy support system -- the Renewable Energies Act (EEG) - was made by Parliament. It will mean cuts to the generous renewable energy subsidies that have spurred rapid green energy growth over the past decade. For additional information, see April 14, 2014, article - German Energy Reform Approved.
More than a quarter of the country's power now comes from renewables, with the government aiming to increase that to 40-45% of the total by 2025, and to 60% by 2035. The German government plans to exit the nuclear power sector and shutter all 17 of its reactors in the coming decade. For additional information, see May 30, 2011, article - Germany Votes to Dump Nuclear Power.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
The new record is up from 23% for the same period in 2013, according to the latest figures from the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW). Electricity from renewable energy climbed from 35.7 terawatt hours (TWh) to 40.2 TWh during the first quarter. The reasons for the renewables increase were put down to the addition of more generation capacity and favorable weather conditions.
While windfarms produced about 19% more electricity than the same quarter last year, the real star was solar photovoltaic (PV), where production jumped by almost 70%.
The BDEW said that between January and March, windfarms produced 17.8 TWh of electricity, which is up from 14.9 TWh in the 2013 first quarter. For the same period, solar power rose from 3.3 TWh to an estimated 5.7 TWh. Despite the great start to 2014, the BDEW was cautious not to predict a massive renewables surge for the whole year.
"This development in the first quarter, however, should not be an indicator for the full year of 2014," it stated. "Electricity generation from renewable sources usually vacillate depending on the season and weather conditions. The share of renewable energies for the year could average out and be below the quarterly values achieved so far."
Solar power benefitted from March being the third sunniest March since records began in the 1950s. Solar output topped 20 gigawatts (GW) for seven consecutive days, marking a record high for the period.
Germany's strong drive toward renewables has come at a high price. In February, it was revealed that Germany is paying up to 50% more than other European Union (EU) countries for domestic electricity, thanks largely to its switch to renewable energy which is heavily subsidized by the government. For additional information, see February 13, 2014, article - Germany Paying 50% More for Electricity.
Last month, the government set out to rein things in when a major overhaul of Germany's renewable energy support system -- the Renewable Energies Act (EEG) - was made by Parliament. It will mean cuts to the generous renewable energy subsidies that have spurred rapid green energy growth over the past decade. For additional information, see April 14, 2014, article - German Energy Reform Approved.
More than a quarter of the country's power now comes from renewables, with the government aiming to increase that to 40-45% of the total by 2025, and to 60% by 2035. The German government plans to exit the nuclear power sector and shutter all 17 of its reactors in the coming decade. For additional information, see May 30, 2011, article - Germany Votes to Dump Nuclear Power.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, three offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
