Renewable sources accounted for more than 20 percent of
the country's electricity generation in the first half of 2011
(Photo: Gizmag.com)
In the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, tens
of thousands of German citizens took to the streets calling for
the phase out of atomic energy. In May, the German government
bowed to public pressure and unveiled its plan to shut down the
country's 17 nuclear power plants by 2021 - with the possibility
that three will continue operating until 2022 if the transition
to renewable energy doesn't go as quickly as hoped. Providing
some hope that Germany will achieve its ambitious goals, Spiegel
Online International has quoted a newly released German
Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) report that
says, for the first time, renewable sources accounted for more
than 20 percent of the country's electricity generation in the
first half of 2011.
According to the report, renewable energy sources provided
18.3 percent of total demand in 2010, but the first six months
of 2011 saw that figure rise to 20.8 percent, while Germany's
total usage remained steady from 2010 at 275.5 billion kilowatt
hours. Although the report says the rise isn't linked to the
closure of seven nuclear power plants following the Fukushima
Daiichi disaster, it provides hope that Germany will be able to
achieve the goal stated by Chancellor Angela Merkel for
renewable sources to account for 35 percent of total electricity
production by 2022.
Of the 57.3 billion kWh provided by renewable sources in the
first six months of 2011, wind power was the dominant source
supplying 20.7 billion kWh (7.5 percent of total production),
followed by biomass with 15.4 billion kWh (5.6 percent),
photovoltaic solar with 9.6 billion kWh (3.5 percent),
hydroelectric with 9.1 billion kWh (3.3 percent, and waste and
other sources providing 2.2 billion kWh (0.8 percent).
Solar power saw the biggest jump, increasing by 76 percent
over 2010 with the BDEW citing the reduction in the price of
photovoltaic installations as a result of increased competition
and the decision of the federal government not to cut subsidies
for private solar-power generation as initially planned as the
main reasons for the increase.
"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 the
BDEW.
Source:
Spiegel Online International