Power networks will be expanded faster to absorb volatile renewable energy and deal with digital tasks such as coordinating storage and measuring systems. While eight turbines were installed in each week of 2020, the number would have to rise to between 25 and 38. Renewables have been on an astonishing trajectory, ramping up to supply 50% of power in 2020 from 10% only 10 years earlier, and 3% two decades ago.īut utility group BDEW said new deployments may lag the 2030 goals that are the base for wider electrification. Power utilities account for nearly one-third of total carbon pollution and have turned green faster than others, which the coalition says it is "on a mission" to accelerate, promising to clear all relevant hurdles, and to monitor and amend in the future. The headline-grabbing claim to rely to 80% on renewable power is often mistaken as a goal to decarbonize 80% of all current energy usage cases.īut beyond the goals describing changes to power are much wider applications for oil and gas in fuelling transport and industry processes and heating homes, which need decarbonizing.Įlectricity plays only a 20% part in the primary energy mix, leaving a huge amount of liquid and gaseous energy substances such as heating oil and gasoline that await transforming to low or zero-carbon.ĬAN WIND AND SOLAR REALLY BE SCALED UP THAT MUCH? The coalition expects power demand to hit 680-750 terawatt-hours a year by 2030, a third more than expected in 2021. The coalition partners aim for 80% renewables in the power mix by 2030, up from 65% targeted earlier, implying a more than tripling of solar capacity, a third more offshore wind, and a push to use 2% of land space for onshore wind. The targets are radical, driven by participation of the Green Party in government which will head the joint economy and energy ministry, among others, raising questions from politicians and investors outside Germany whether they can materialize into action.
The German government, to be sworn in on Wednesday, has presented plans to step up climate protection efforts entailing far-reaching reforms for the utility sector and across manufacturing industries, buildings, transport, and agriculture.