Renewable Energy Tops 20% in Germany

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--The rapid rise of renewable energy in Europe was highlighted this week when it emerged that it accounted for one-fifth of Germany's electricity this year.

For the first six months of 2011, renewable energy's share in the country's electricity mix topped the 20% mark for the first time. The German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) reported that renewables accounted for 20.8% of the energy mix, well ahead of the 18.3% recorded for 2010. The two key reasons cited for the boost were a 50% drop in the cost of equipment from 2006 levels and the federal government's decision not to push through a subsidy cut for private solar-power installations.

Electricity usage for the period remained consistent with 2010 at 275.5 billion kilowatt-hours (KWh), with renewables accounting for 57.3 billion KWh. Wind power remained the most important renewable energy source, accounting for 20.7 billion KWh, or 7.5% of the total electricity generated. Biomass accounted for 5.6% of the total followed by the real star of 2011, solar photovoltaics (PV), which rocketed more than 76% over 2010 to account for 3.5% of the total and displace hydroelectric power from third spot for the first time. Hydroelectric power accounted for 3.3% of the total, while waste incineration and other smaller renewable sources accounted for slightly less than 1%.

"Because of the volume of new photovoltaic installations and the amount of sun during the spring, solar energy knocked hydroelectric from third place for the first time," said a BDEW statement.

The milestone comes at a crucial time for Germany, which announced a fast-exit strategy from the nuclear power sector in May this year and a greater focus on renewable energy. The decision, which followed the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant disaster in Japan in March, means that all of the country's 17 nuclear reactors will be taken offline before 2022. For additional information, see May 30, 2011, article - Germany Votes to Dump Nuclear Power.

As a result, Germany will face an electricity generation crisis and the government has proposed a greater role for renewables in the longer term. In July, the government announced changes to its Renewable Energy Sources Act for 2012 that will see the country aim to generate up to 40% of its energy from renewables by 2020. The revised goal was backed by raising the feed-in tariffs (FiTs) for offshore wind by 15%, while maintaining the current tariffs for onshore wind. The special 'starter bonus' for offshore wind will be raised by 25%, with biomass tariffs for smaller plants increasing by 30% and a 50% boost for all geothermal projects. For additional information, see July 28, 2011, article - Germany Raises Renewable Energy Targets.

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