Energiewende: Difference between revisions

The ''Energiewende'' has been criticized for the high costs, the early nuclear phase-out which increased carbon emissions, continuation or even increase in use of fossil fuels,<ref name="cleanenergywire.org">{{Cite web|date=26 February 2020|title=Gas-fired power generation reaches record high in Germany|url=https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/gas-fired-power-generation-reaches-record-high-germany|access-date=29 February 2020|website=Clean Energy Wire|language=en}}</ref> risks to power supply stability and the [[environmental damage of biomass]].<ref name=":6" />

German association of local utilities VKU said "the strategy creates significant risks to the stability of power supply in case of "'lengthy periods"' of weather unsuitable for wind and solar generation since energy storage in Germany is "'largely non-existent{{' "}}.<ref>{{Cite news|date=19 July 2019|title=Does renewables pioneer Germany risk running out of power?|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-power-supply-insight-idUSKCN1UD0GZ|access-date=29 February 2020}}</ref>

After introduction of the original [[German Renewable Energy Act|Renewable Energy Act]] in 2000, there was a focus on long term costs, while in later years this has shifted to a focus on short term costs and the "financial burden" of the ''Energiewende'' while ignoring environmental externalities of fossil fuels.<ref name="lauber-and-jacobsson-2016">{{cite journal|last1=Lauber|first1=Volkmar|last2=Jacobsson|first2=Staffan|year=2016|title=The politics and economics of constructing, contesting and restricting socio-political space for renewables – The German Renewable Energy Act|journal=Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions|volume=18|pages=147–163|doi=10.1016/j.eist.2015.06.005}}</ref> Electricity prices for household customers in Germany have been generally increasing in the last decade.{{Clarify|date=May 2024}}<ref name="bmwi-2015-b" /> The renewable energy levy to finance green power investment is added to Germans' electricity unit price. The surcharge (22.1% in 2016) pays the state-guaranteed price for renewable energy to producers and is 6.35 cents per kWh in 2016.<ref name="rueter-2015">

Former German Economy and Energy Minister [[Sigmar Gabriel]] said in 2014 said "For a country like Germany with a strong industrial base, exiting nuclear and coal-fired power generation at the same time would not be possible."<ref name="severin-and-bryan-2014">{{cite news|last1=Severin|first1=Thorsten|last2=Bryan|first2=Victoria|date=12 October 2014|title=Germany says can't exit coal-fired energy at same time as nuclear|work=reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/germany-energy-idUSL6N0S70W720141012|access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref><ref name="Letter to Swedish Prime Minister">{{cite news|last=Gabriel|first=Sigmar|author-link=Sigmar Gabriel|date=13 October 2014|title=Dear Stefan Löfven – Letter to Swedish Prime Minister from Sigmar Gabriel|work=Altinget|url=http://www.altinget.se/misc/SigmarGabriel.pdf|access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref>

As nuclear and coal power plants are being phased out, the governmentGovernment hashad begun to promote the use of fossil gas in order to bridge the gap between other [[fossil fuel]]s and low-carbon energy sources.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stam|first=Claire|date=9 April 2019|title=Gas, a prominent guest at German energy transition event|url=https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/gas-a-prominent-guest-at-german-energy-transition-event/|access-date=10 July 2019|website=euractiv.com|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=22 June 2015|title=Germany's dependence on imported fossil fuels|url=https://www.cleanenergywire.org/factsheets/germanys-dependence-imported-fossil-fuels|access-date=10 July 2019|website=Clean Energy Wire|language=en}}</ref> ThisThe move hashad been criticisedcriticized by international observers, who argue that fossil fuel gas is "essentially [[methane]], which constitutes at least one-third of global warming and is leaking into the [[Atmosphere of Earth|atmosphere]] all across the gas production and delivery chain." It is also a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon-dioxide.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 March 2019|title=Gas wars part one: let's be honest about Germany's growing dependence on fossil gas|url=https://energytransition.org/2019/03/gas-wars-part-one-lets-be-honest-about-germanys-growing-dependence-on-fossil-gas/|access-date=10 July 2019|website=Energy Transition|language=en-US}}</ref> It is also feared that the [[European Union]], but particularly Germany, is making itself overly dependent on [[Russia]] for gas supplies via [[Nord Stream 2]], thereby undermining its [[energy security]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Welle (www.dw.com)|first=Deutsche|title=Nord Stream 2 pipeline row highlights Germany's energy dependence on Russia {{!}} DW {{!}} 4 February 2019|url=https://www.dw.com/en/nord-stream-2-pipeline-row-highlights-germanys-energy-dependence-on-russia/a-47344788|access-date=10 July 2019|website=DW.COM|language=en-GB}}</ref> In light of the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]] the Nord Stream 2 project was first postponed indefinitely and ultimately cancelled. The [[Scholz cabinet]] has spent considerable efforts since February 2022 to find replacements for Russian fossil gas both in the near and the long term.

Germany's [[electrical grid|electricity transmission network]] is currently inadequately developed, therefore lacking the capability of delivering offshore wind energy produced on the Northern coast to industrial regions in the countryCountry's South. The [[transmission system operator]]s are planning to build 4000an additional kilometers{{Convert|4000|km|mi|abbr=off}} of [[Electric power transmission|transmission lines]] until 2030.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Oroschakoff|first=Kalina|date=23 March 2018|title=Germany's green energy shift is more fizzle than sizzle|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-climate-change-green-energy-shift-is-more-fizzle-than-sizzle/|access-date=10 July 2019|website=POLITICO}}</ref>

Slow reduction of {{CO2}} emissions in Germany, especially in the energy sector, hashad been contrasted with France's successful [[Low-carbon economy|decarbonization]] of its energy sector under the [[Messmer Plan#Messmer Plan|Messmer plan]] (from 1973) and the United Kingdom's carbon tax, which saw a drastic reduction of coal-powered energy from 88% in 1973 to below 1% in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Hook|first1=Leslie|last2=Thomas|first2=Nathalie|last3=Tighe|first3=Chris|date=1 October 2019|title=How Britain ended its coal addiction|url=https://www.ft.com/content/a05d1dd4-dddd-11e9-9743-db5a370481bc|access-date=21 July 2020|website=www.ft.com|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":6" />

German federal audit office report published in March 2021 highlighted the very high costs of ''Energiewende'' for the household users, where taxes and fees account for 50% of the bills, and the energy price is 43% higher than the EU average. It also noted predicted shortage of 4.5 GW between 2022 and 2025 as result of the planned shutdown of nuclear power plants.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Wacket|first=Markus|date=30 March 2021|title=Germany's energy drive criticised over expense, risks|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/germany-energy-audit-idUSL8N2LS2RC|access-date=16 June 2021}}</ref>

A study found that if Germany had postponed the nuclear phase out and phased out coal first, it could have saved 1,100 lives and €3 to €8 billion in social costs per year. The study concludes that policymakers would have to overestimate the risk or cost of a nuclear accident to conclude that the benefits of the phase-out exceed its social costs.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Jarvis S, Deschenes O, Jha A|title=The Private and External Costs of Germany's Nuclear Phase-Out |journal=Journal of the European Economic Association |volume=20 |issue=3 |date=June 2022 |pages=1311–1346 |doi=10.1093/jeea/jvac007}}</ref> An open letter by a number of climate scientists published in 2021 calls against the shut-down of the remaining nuclear reactors in Germany, that would lead to 5% increase in {{CO2}} emissions from the electricity sector.<ref>{{Cite news|date=27 September 2021|title=Letter: Germany should postpone nuclear exit to help climate|work=Financial Times|url=https://www.ft.com/content/e7e08182-6749-44df-9594-23ba84ba6dd5|access-date=28 September 2021}}</ref>

The Renewable Energy Act has also had a significant impact on businesses and industries and hashad been met with criticism. A New York Times article recently reported that “German Business Is Tangled in Red Tape” on account of imposed requirements, resulting in increased costs and slowed-down growth.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Eddy |first1=Melissa |title=German Business Is Tangled in Red Tape |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/09/world/europe/german-business-bureaucracy.html |access-date=9 April 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=April 9, 2024}}</ref>