German government officials Wednesday sought to dispel doubts about the country's shift toward renewable energy as the transition is running behind schedule and has led to concerns about power shortages.
German government officials Wednesday sought to dispel doubts about the
country's shift toward renewable energy as the transition is running behind
schedule and has led to concerns about power shortages.
Chancellor Angela Merkel said her government aims better coordinate the policy
shift between the various ministries that are involved as well as the 16
federal states.
"We want the success, all of us, everybody in his or her own
responsibility," Merkel said after a meeting with the country's state
governors.
"We have developed today a very detailed plan under the motto that energy
supply has to be safe, it must be environmentally friendly and it must be
affordable for the people in
Germany
. These
three issues must be brought together. There is a lot of work ahead of
us."
Policy makers were discussing grid expansion, offshore wind power and cuts in
solar subsidies, amongst other things, Merkel said.
The government has so far failed to present a plan for filling the void in its
future energy capacity, a year after Merkel decided to rapidly withdraw from
nuclear power in the wake of the
Fukushima
disaster.
It has also yet to outline how it plans to finance the transformation of a
primarily fossil fuel-powered and nuclear-powered generation sector to one that
is more reliant on sustainable forms of energy, such as offshore wind and solar
power.
But hopes for any swift solution of key issues that have been holding up
Germany
's
energy transformation were dealt a blow, with Merkel saying that crucial
problem areas won't be solved before the end of the year.
For instance, Economics Minister Philipp Roesler said a plan about power grid
expansion and modernization will be presented next week, with Merkel saying a
law on this expansion is being planned by the end of this year.
One of the most pressing issues in the implementation of
Germany
's
energy policy shift is the urgent need to expand and modernize electricity
networks to ensure the power can be shipped to consumers.
The acceleration of the nuclear exit--which included the immediate and
permanent retirement of nearly half of
Germany
's 17
reactors--has hit southern states
Bavaria
and
Baden-Wuerttemberg most, given their strong reliance in atomic energy.
The strong focus on offshore wind power generation means that much of the
former nuclear power generation will now have to be shipped south over hundreds
of kilometers to large urban and industrial centers such as
Munich
or
Stuttgart
.
But power grid capacity is limited, which makes transporting the electricity
from north to south challenging. During the past winter, power grid balance had
been on the brink of breakdown on several occasions due to the vast amounts of
renewables power in the system amid very limited grid capacity, regulators and
utilities said.
Merkel also said her government aims to reach a deal with the upper house of
parliament about a planned heavy cut in solar subsidies before parliament's
summer break that starts in July.
The government's proposed sharp cuts in solar subsidies have been suspended by
German states represented in the upper house, or Bundesrat. The planned law,
approved by the parliament's lower house, or Bundestag, in late March, foresees
subsidy cuts of up to 30% for solar energy to contain costs, which have
spiraled out of control in recent years.
Following approval by the Bundesrat, the law was to take effect retroactively
to April 1.
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