German Wind Power Ties For #1 Electricity Source In November
Wind power production in Germany is at record levels — so high that electricity from it tied with electricity from lignite-burning power plants in the month of November. Both were reported to have generated 11.4 TWh, though the final official stats won’t be published until 2016.
The other electricity sources were:
- Hard coal – 8.6 TWh
- Nuclear – 7.4 TWh
- Gas – 3.6 TWh
(Of course, if one were to combine lignite and hard coal, that would be the #1 source of electricity in the country.)
Overall, for that month, wind generated about 23% of Germany’s electricity.
One German state already generates more than 100% of its electricity from renewables, so it isn’t unreasonable to wonder how many others might achieve this figure as well. (Wind power plays a prominent role there – reportedly, over 1,600 wind turbines are in operation in the state.)
Another title for this article might have been, “Wind Power in Germany Blows Nuclear Power Out Of The Water,” but perhaps that is no longer surprising. What seems to be surprising is the speed at which energy storage is emerging in Germany, but this too may actually be logical considering that it could solve the wind and solar power intermittency problem, which admittedly isn’t a concern until relatively high penetration of renewables. Once energy storage rises a bit in Germany, will that be the end of traditional fuels there?
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Younicos was recently selected to help with the energy management and energy storage side of the energy transition. “We’re delighted to apply the experience and knowledge we’ve gained from 23 battery-based storage projects with a combined power rating of almost 100 megawatts to this new challenge. In over ten years of pioneering work, we have developed entirely new software for communications and control between the power grid, electricity market, and battery plant. It is exactly this type of IT expertise that’s needed for the success of Energiewende — not only in Germany but throughout Europe, ” Younicos cofounder Clemens Triebel explained.
Here are a few CleanTechnica videos from the Younicos global headquarters in Berlin, Germany:
Germany is clearly one of the countries that is leading the way on renewable energy and setting an example for everyone.
Images: wind farms in Germany via Shutterstock
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