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Biofuels solar panels reduce cost of electricity germany

Published on March 14th, 2012 | by Zachary Shahan

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Germany’s Energy Intensity Dropped More than 3% in 2011

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March 14th, 2012 by Zachary Shahan 

 
solar panels reduce cost of electricity germany

Despite claims that Germany would have to go all dirty energy on us after switching off nukes last year, that hasn’t been the case. Here are some interesting energy statistics from Germany, as just released last week:

  • Germany’s energy intensity, energy use per GDP, dropped over 3% in 2011 (energy use dropped about 0.3% while its economy grew 3%)
  • Solar PV power production grew 67% (solar power capacity now over 25 GW and has peaked at over 40% of German power demand, approximately 80 times more than in the U.S.)
  • Wind power production grew 22%
  • Biogas grew 21%
  • Biofuels grew 8%
  • Natural gas consumption dropped 10%
  • Brown coal production grew a little less than 4%
  • Hard coal (aka anthracite) production dropped 0.7%
  • 40% of Germany’s nuclear power capacity was phased out
  • Over 20% of Germany’s power supply now comes from renewable energy
  • Germany remained a net power exporter

Source: Renewables International | Image: Solar panels on roof in Germany via shutterstock

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About the Author

spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.


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  • Captivation

    In return, Germany should be given favored status in international trade agreements. At the very least as consumers we should try to buy more German products.

    • http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan

      I wouldn’t disagree with you.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001060778642 Thomas Gerke

    This developement is grassroots driven across party lines… and more and more people recognize this fact, which makes it harder to kill.
    This is being re-enforced by concepts of energy autonomy entering mainstream culture which also translates in more and more companies joining the movement.

    However, there shouldn’t be any doubt, the german energy revolution is always under threat.
    Being the home of E.On & RWE and their buisness/political minions puts this revolution under constant siege.
    Since I mean the current federal government when I say political minions that kinda makes the danger rather real….

    • http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan

      Yeah, just getting that picture in recent months.

      Hope the citizens don’t get confused like I’m sure they would (and are) in the U.S.

  • lukealization

    Go Germany! They seem to be one of the only countries that is simultaneously phasing out nuclear and replacing their electricity demand with solar and wind!

    20% last year. 25% in the next few years.

  • Matter26

    And how much coal could have been shut down if the nuclear plants hadn’t been?

    Unless you’re 100% renewable, it’s coal or nuclear. You’re choosing coal, I’d choose nuclear.

    • Bob_Wallace

      Germany had a reactor blow up in their backyard and they are dealing with radiation inside their boarders from that disaster.

      I suppose that if I had the same experience I might choose Germany’s path. Remember, they are still installing a lot of renewables and their CO2 footprint is still declining.

      They’ve decided to deal with the more immediate danger (in their opinion) first while continuing to work on the longer term goal.

      If I lived someplace like New York City where I’d have very little chance to flee from a busted reactor I suspect I’d push for shutting down nuclear first…

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001060778642 Thomas Gerke

      I am sorry, but your choice is unrealistic.
      The true choice is between 100% renewables or the conventional energy system.

      And believe me, Nuclear is a terrible conventional energy source to be combined with the renewable energy system during the transition period.

      Nuclear powerplants are perhaps the most centralized and least flexible form of electricity production. That means that they will block the introduction of renewable sources as soon as the capacity of volotile energy sources grows above the conventional powerplants that supplement nuclear power stations in the conventional energy mix.

      This happens very fast… it took german households & buisnesses only about 4 years to put up enough PV-Solar to replace all those flexible hard-coal & gas powered powerplants on a very sunny day.

      If you realize that the transition to 100% renewables requires to break the baseload oriented energy system, there simply is no place for nuclear in the future….

      If you buy the nuclear lobbies arguments, you simply will never reach a 100% renewable energy system, because you will move at the pace of those who never want to achieve such a system.

    • http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan

      For one, this is a false choice.

      Renewables match with quick-starting power sources (i.e. nat gas at the worst).

      For two, given that Germany is a true world leader in the energy & CO2 emissions front, I think it has a right to refuse the risk of more radioactive waste.

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