Blackout Which They Stated That, in Terms of RWE Employees Demonstrated Climate Policy, Germany Must Quit to Keep Their Jobs
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14 The German Times – Business March 2019 the federal states that are home BY HEIKE HOLDINGHAUSEN to lignite mines, are expecting aid, as are energy-intensive industries t’s an ambitious goal: By such as aluminum smelters and the /ZB/EUROLUFTBILD DPA/ 2022, Germany will close its fossil-fuel energy sector. Ilast nuclear power plant and, In its recommendations, the com- only 16 years later, stop burning mission envisages within four years’ coal altogether. Too slow or too time the removal from the grid of ambitious? It’s a hot debate in Ger- facilities with a capacity totaling 12 many, at the moment. Neverthe- gigawatts, three gigawatts of which less, the federal government plans derive from burning lignite. The to follow the recommendations of power stations slated for closure the so-called Coal Commission, lie chiefly in the west of Germany, and to codify it in law by May. It i.e. in North Rhine-Westphalia. The will also stipulate which regions Rhineland’s lignite region and its and companies directly affected vast mines would be affected first, by the fossil-fuel phase-out will with the upside that the vigorously receive government aid – and how contested Hambach Forest could much. There’s a lot of money at be preserved. This swath of land stake here. between Cologne and Aachen, The Coal Commission comprises with an area of no more than 500 politicians, company representa- hectares, is all that’s left of a once tives, advocates for environmental expansive forest of beech trees; organizations and scientists. After and it is scheduled to be cleared months of consultations and one to make room for a strip mine in final overnight negotiation mara- development by the Essen energy thon at the end of January, a com- firm, RWE. promise was reached: By 2030, the In autumn 2018, the Hambach output for power plants burning Forest became a symbol leveraged lignite and bituminous coal will be by Germany’s ecological move- reduced to 17 gigawatts – less than ment for greater climate protec- half of today’s installed capacity. tion. Activists erected tree houses And Germany will quit coal alto- and occupied the forest; environ- gether by 2038; in 2032 it will be mental organizations obtained Coming in from the coal: Protesters don’t want the Hambach Forest in North Rhine-Westphalia to be cleared to make room for a strip mine. determined whether it’s possible court injunctions against the autho- to shift coal’s termination year for- rized clearings; thousands of citi- ward to 2035. zens responded to appeals to take The environmental organiza- “forest walks” to save the Hambach. tions issued a dissenting opinion in And on the other side of the coin, Blackout which they stated that, in terms of RWE employees demonstrated climate policy, Germany must quit to keep their jobs. The police ulti- coal by 2030. Commission member mately cleared the protesters from Germany wants to quit nuclear energy and coal, and fast Karsten Smid, an energy expert at the forest, during which a young Greenpeace Deutschland, claims journalist fell to his death from a that “from a technical standpoint, rope bridge. it’s easily achievable.” To date, no concrete action has BWE President Hermann Albers, it Technologies like Power2X – i.e. that the legally prescribed expan- Experts have long bemoaned Representatives of the pro-busi- been taken for the coal regions in is thus “even more important to pin the conversion of electricity into a sion limit of 7.7 gigawatts can be Germany’s delays in expanding ness wing of the Christian Demo- eastern Germany. It is clear, how- down the 2030 goal as it applies to gaseous or liquid form along with reached by 2020. its grid. One reason is the coun- cratic Union (CDU) voiced their ever, that quitting coal necessitates the expansion of renewable energy industrial-scale energy storage Moreover, the expansion goal try’s tedious planning proce- skepticism about 2038 as the target the forced expansion of renewable sources and then to adjust the pre- devices – must be promoted and of 1.9 gigawatts for photovoltaic dures, as property owners refuse year for quitting coal. While Ralph energy sources, which was the scribed paths.” He goes on to por- implemented. facilities appears to be too modest. to yield their land for power lines Brinkhaus, the CDU caucus leader, sticking point for finding a solution tend that the 2018 slump “jeopar- Last year’s low growth figures The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar and local citizens’ initiatives pro- conceded to the Welt am Sonntag in eastern Germany. But then the dizes the leading position enjoyed appear to be lingering. In 2019, Energy Systems (Fraunhofer ISE) test against the electric-cable that “there’s wide societal consen- German wind energy industry was by the German wind industry the BWE expects only a modest considers it necessary to produce super highways laying claim to sus that something must be done hit with some bad news. According among international competition.” increase of 2,000 megawatts five to seven additional gigawatts the countryside. to address the climate,” he claims to a report issued in January by the The German government’s Cli- for onshore wind power. How- of installed capacity from photo- The Grid Expansion Accel- that whatever action is taken must German Wind Energy Association mate Action Plan 2050 had laid out ever, things look a bit rosier for voltaic facilities if Germany is to eration Act, spearheaded by also guarantee the security of Ger- (BWE), in 2018 only 743 wind tur- certain benchmarks for emissions the offshore industry. According meet its goal of full reliance on Federal Minister for Economic many’s energy supply. And further- bines were erected with a capacity reductions. The goal for 2030 is a to the consultancy firm Wind- renewable energy sources by 2050. Affairs and Energy Peter Alt- more, consumers and businesses of 2,402 megawatts – a 55-percent 55-percent reduction in greenhouse guard, 2018 saw Germany’s 1,305 Another element that is lacking maier (CDU) and enacted in should not be unduly burdened by drop from the previous year. gases compared to 1990 CO2-out- offshore facilities generate wind is an efficient network through December 2018, provides for the government’s fossil-fuel phase- Germany oversees a total put levels, as well as an even loftier energy with a total installed which wind energy from north- faster planning processes and out. installed capacity of 52,931 mega- aim of 62 percent in the energy capacity of 6,382 megawatts. This ern German and solar energy from higher compensation for prop- The minister-presidents of Ger- watts produced by onshore sector. figure met the level of expansion southern Germany can be distrib- erty owners, who are often farm- many’s federal states that would wind facilities. By midyear 2018, Reaching this goal requires tech- predicted by industry associa- uted. The four operators of Ger- ers and lumbermen. “The Coal be particularly affected by quitting the BWE was still expecting an nology-specific expansion path- tions, and at the beginning of the many’s high-voltage electric grid Commission’s recommendations coal are demanding a certain mea- increased installed capacity of ways as well as the dismantling year, the Trade Association Power estimate the cost for expanding have succeeded in initiating the sure of planning security. In other 3,300 megawatts. According to of certain regulatory hurdles. Systems (VDMA) announced the network at €52 billion. Inte- withdrawal from fossil fuels,” words, the recommendations of the grating the offshore wind farms in says Greenpeace representative commission must be implemented GERMAN ENERGY MIX AND THE ENERGY REVOLUTION the North Sea and Baltic Sea into Karsten Smid. “And we’re well and the €40 billion promised by the electricity grid would require prepared for the disputes that are the federal government must be Electricity production 2017 Goals Selected costs an additional €24 billion. For solar sure to follow.” written into law. This admittedly Lignite: 22.5% – Quit nuclear energy by 2022 Expanding electric grid: and wind energy to expand at a hefty figure should cushion – both Stone coal: 14.1% – Quit coal by 2038 €52 billion faster rate than predicted, two Gas: 13.2% socially and economically – the Nuclear energy: 11.7% Increase the share of renewable Integrating offshore wind additional north-south routes transition to a power supply based Renewables: 33.2% energies in gross electricity farms in the North and would be needed. The three large- HEIKE HOLDINGHAUSEN on renewable energy sources. Others: > 5.0% consumption to 50% by 2030, Baltic Seas: €24 billion scale north-south links that are to 65% by 2040 and to 80% by 2050. is a business and environment North Rhine-Westphalia, Branden- currently in planning are sched- editor for the Berlin daily taz. burg, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, Source: AG Energiebilanzen e. V. uled to be completed by 2025. Rethinking energy security Burning fossil fuels jeopardizes the very livelihoods of vulnerable groups and could result in a massive rise in the world’s already significant number of refugees effects on the well-being of large of trade restrictions, which will lems. Implementing an SES relies ture of lithium-ion batteries for While the new energy world, BY SHI DINGHUAN, population groups. This destruc- help realize economic efficiency on numerous new technologies, use in electric cars. Rare earth ele- its challenges, dependencies and STEPHAN KOHLER AND tive trend could jeopardize the potentials and greatly reduce such as photovoltaic plants, wind ments, 95 percent of which are risks are discernible in outline, SERGEI SHMATKO very livelihoods of these vulner- global energy consumption.