# first climate law #phasing out nuclear # renewables share overtakes coal A Reporter’s Guide to the Energy Transition limate#c change coal exit # green startups # # grid expansion Journalism for the energy transition Clean Energy Wire | CLEW 2020 Sven Egenter Kerstine Appunn Sören Amelang Julian Wettengel Benjamin Wehrmann Freja Eriksen Carel Carlowitz Mohn Editor in Chief Correspondent Correspondent Correspondent Correspondent Correspondent Dir. Media Programmes The repercussions of the Energiewende funders’ commitment to work towards a A Note from CLEW (energy transition) are felt across climate-neutral economy in order to limit society and the business sector, offer- the impact of man-made climate change. The global energy transition to stem ing journalists a wealth of exciting and harmful man-made climate change is important stories. But researching this CLEW’s “A Reporter’s Guide to the En- gain ing momentum. As part of this, Ger- massive event from outside the coun- ergy Transition”, now in its eighth edi- many aims to be greenhouse gas neutral try is no easy task, even for the most tion, offers journalists a useful starting by 2050. The country’s decades-long effort seasoned reporter. The huge complexity point by outlining the main story lines of to fundamentally shift its energy supply of the technology and economics behind the energy transition, providing contact and to run the world’s fourth-largest energy policy make things harder. Yet details for experts, as well as links to key economy without fuelling global warming strong fact-based and critical journalism literature and articles. provides valuable lessons on weaning a is essential to inform the international major economy off fossil fuels. debate on ways to decarbonise the glob- Our website, cleanenergywire.org, al economy. offers lots more in-depth information and contacts. Our daily newsletter and This is why Clean Energy Wire (CLEW) our Twitter feed @cleanenergywire supports journalists in their work. keep readers in the loop about Energie - Fully funded by two non-profit foun- wende-related debates and events. dations – Stiftung Mercator and the European Climate Foundation – we enjoy Our growing CLEW Journalism Network independence from any business or (@ClewNetwork) allows 200 journalists political interests. Rather, we share our around the world to find colleagues work- 2 3 Energiewende history – the first four decades . 18 Power grid expansion . 20 Eva Freundorfer Milou Dirkx Renato Malaga Yannick Haas Transforming the transport sector . 22 Programme Officer Network Manager Assistant Research Assistant The car industry and the energy transition . 24 Renewables: Wind, solar and bio - ing on energy transition and climate sto- energy . 26 ries, to collaborate on cross-border stories, Contents CO2 pricing and renewables support . 28 exchange tips and views or collect back- What is the Energiewende? And where Nuclear phase-out . 30 ground information from other countries. did it come from? . 4 Industry and jobs . 32 We invite all reporters and editors with an Targets of the Energiewende . 6 Start-ups and utilities . 34 interest in the energy transition and cli- Greenhouse gas emissions . 7 Heating and efficiency . 36 mate policy to join. The Energiewende in figures . 8 Finance . 38 Renewables and fossil fuels . .10 Society . 40 We also organise workshops for journa- Energiewende dates 2020/2021 . 11. Agriculture . 42 lists, offering a first-hand account of the Contacts . 12. Technology, storage and digitalisation . 44 Energiewende. But, most importantly, Reading in English . 13 Natural gas as a bridging technology? . 46 we provide assistance, answer your Green pioneer Germany . 14 Cities . .48 questions, and put you in touch with ex- Green Deal – a joint European project . 16 Green Deal: A joint European project . 50 perts and fellow journalists across the globe – so don’t hesitate to ask CLEW. Energiewende in Germany: Timeline Sven Egenter and 1973-1975 1979/1980 the Clean Energy Wire team “Nuclear power? Enter the Greens No thanks!” Birth of Germany’s Green Germany’s anti-nuclear Party is founded, with movement as protests an exit from nuclear force plans for a nuclear energy and a renew- power plant in Wyhl to able future as key be aborted demands Activists first use the 2 term “Energiewende” 3 Clean Energy Wire | CLEW 2020 What is the Energiewende? And where did it come from? he energy transition, known in Ger- The process involves: 1990s, the Energiewende has been Tmany as the Energiewende, is the radically reshaping Germany's energy country’s planned transformation into phasing out nuclear power by 2022 system as a whole. The traditional model a greenhouse gas-neutral, nuclear-free and coal by 2038; and reaching of generating electricity in large power economy. climate neutrality by 2050 plants is being replaced by a system the phase-in of renewable energy dominated by millions of renewable and low-carbon technologies power installations dependent on the increased energy efficiency weather. But the project’s influence now goes well beyond the electricity system, Since the introduction of financial because creating a decarbonised econo- support for renewable energy in the my also entails using renewable energy … Energiewende in Germany: Timeline 1986 1991 1997/2005 2000 2007 2010 2011 Chernobyl disaster Kick-starting renew- Kyoto Protocol Renewable Energy Act EU targets Extending nuclear Nuclear phase-out #2 solid ifi es Germans’ ables Germany, the world’s Renewables granted EU sets 2020 climate The nuclear consensus is Merkel government resist ance to nuclear New legislation intro- sixth largest emitter feed-in tariffs and grid targets: 20% renew- reversed by a conserva- formulates new nuclear energy duces feed-in tariffs at the time, has to priority ables share, 20% GHG tive government phase-out by 2022 with for renewable power reduce CO2 emissions reduction, 20% more large parliamentary Climate change under the agreement Nuclear phase-out #1 efficiency Energy concept majority after Fukushi- enters the discourse – SPD-Green government Govt . sets out renewa- ma disaster a magazine story leads and utilities agree bles and climate targets parliament to establish to phase out nuclear for 2020 and 2050 4 an advisory council by 2022 5 Energiewende to replace coal, oil, and gas wherever been hit hard and Germany's mighty car they are burned – be it in industry, industry struggles to shift gears, many heating, transport, or other sectors. innovative businesses have turned the upheaval to their advantage. Since the The transformation unleashed by the energy transition turned into a truly energy transition has already produced global enterprise with the Paris Climate many winners and losers. Electricity Agreement and the European Commis- costs have risen for most consumers, but sion's Green Deal, new markets have have fallen for many energy-intensive opened up for low-emission technolo- companies, thanks to industry rebates. gies – and many made in Germany brands While traditional power companies have see opportunities for growth. 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 New EEG & climate Slow progress Spin-off Renewables New government Climate action package Coal exit law action The Energiewende Utilities E.ON and RWE Reform Wants to focus on grid Climate cabinet presents Cabinet adopts coal Govt . lowers feed-in monitoring report split to separate renew- Auctions determine expansion and sector major policy package exit law including tariffs, starts PV auctions shows climate targets ables from fossil plants renewables payments coupling in­­clud ing national car- timetable and introduces plan to are “in serious danger” bon price achieve 2020 climate Climate Action Plan G20 & COP23 Utilities shakeup targets Govt. adopts ambitious Germany tries to main- RWE and E ON. split up Climate action law 2030 emission targets tain climate utility innogy, separating Germany’s first climate for individual economic leadership, but emis- grids from generation law makes emissions 4 sectors sions stagnate reduc tion legally binding 5 Clean Energy Wire | CLEW 2020 Sector targets for greenhouse gas reductions Sector 2019 status 2030 target cut from 1990 levels cut from 1990 levels Targets of the Energiewende Energy 45 .5 % 62 .5 % Buildings 41 .9 % 66 .7 % Transport 0 .6 % 42 % he overall objectives of the Energie- and ending the use of fossil fuels in all Industry 33 .8 % 50 .7 % Twende are to phase out nuclear power sectors of the economy. Germany has al- Agriculture 24 .4 % 35 .6 % and eliminate Germany’s greenhouse ready exceeded its 2020 target of covering Other 76 .3 % 86 .5 % gas emissions. 35 percent of power use with renewables, Total 35.7 % "at least" 55 % Source: UBA (2020), Climate Action Law . as their share rose to above 40 percent in The nuclear exit is proceeding according 2019, and is now taking aim at 65 percent country would miss its original 2020 target to schedule and Germany will switch by 2030. However, renewables’ share of cutting emissions by 40 percent by a off its last nuclear power plant in 2022. of total energy use, currently at around wide margin, and threatening the entire Dealing with radioactive waste will, 17 percent, remains comparatively low. project’s credibility. But significant reduc- however, take many decades. As regards tions in 2018 and 2019 pushed the country emissions reductions, the pic ture is more Germany's first Climate Action Law made closer to the target than expected – and an complex. Germany plans to cut CO2 output emissions