Commentators spar over renewables reform / Agreement on biomass
S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
鈥淔ailure desired鈥�
Germany, the homeland of the energy transition, treats renewables like a relative who annoys everyone with permanent demands, writes Michael Bauchm眉ller in a commentary on the reform agreement between Chancellar Angela Merkel and regional states in S眉ddeutsche Zeitung. He argues the reform of the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) is okay to minimise costs. But the discussion wrongly focuses on the 鈥渁lleged cost explosion鈥� for renewable development and green power transport. In reality, it is about the survival of the old energy world鈥檚 conventional generation, which exacerbates the problems of oversupply and grid bottlenecks. 鈥淏ut the coalition avoids this debate, because it dreads trouble from industry and unions [鈥 the energy transition is in full swing globally. In its homeland, it gets into trouble.鈥�
For details on the reform agreement, read 威力彩玩法鈥檚 article Wind development has to wait for grid expansion.
You can find more background in the factsheet EEG reform 2016 鈥� switching to auctions for renewables.
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Handelsblatt
鈥淲elcome to reality鈥�
Claims by critics that the reform of the renewable energy law is choking the Energiewende are exaggerated, writes Klaus Stratmann in a commentary for Handelsblatt. 鈥淩enewable power听 advances with gigantic steps in Germany [鈥 the solutions the government and the states are heading for are a long way away from killing off renewables, wind back the energy transition or file away climate protection,鈥� argues Stratmann. Pointing to high costs, he concludes: 鈥淭he real scandal is that counter-steering did not begin years ago.鈥�
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WDR
鈥淚t won鈥檛 work like this!鈥�
The renewable reform means Germany says goodbye to its role as a pioneer in energy transition and climate protection, and to the Paris Climate Agreement, writes J眉rgen D枚schner in a commentary for public broadcaster WDR. A lot more electricity will be needed to power transport and heating in the future, but the government 鈥減uts renewables in chains [鈥 the reform is a fainthearted step in the wrong direction鈥�.
Read the commentary in German .
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Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
鈥淏illions thrown to the wind鈥�
The energy transition has become a bottomless pit for power consumers because it got out of control, writes Andreas Mihm in a commentary for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The transition to auctions by 2019 is the right thing but comes too late, according to Mihm. 鈥淯ntil then, electricity consumers will have paid several unnecessary billions more due to the inefficient support.鈥�
Read the commentary in German .
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Zeit Online
鈥淢erkel gives up climate policy ambitions鈥�
If the government wants to reach its climate targets, it should work on grid extensions and making conventional power generation more suitable to complement renewables, writes Alexandra Endres in a commentary for Zeit Online. 鈥淏ut instead, it puts the breaks on the growth of green energy. Germany risks missing its climate targets already [鈥 The government might gain political control over energy policy, but it gives up climate policy ambitions instead.鈥�
Read the commentary in German .
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tageszeitung
鈥淎 dishonest debate鈥�
The government mantra of exposing renewables to market forces is only a cover-up for the real aim of slowing down renewable development, writes Bernward Janzing in a commentary for the left-leaning tageszeitung. 鈥淢any believe the renewable expansion is too fast because coal is suffering,鈥� according to Janzing. 鈥淲hat would really take the energy transition forward is making space in the cables by withdrawing coal power plants.鈥�
Read the commentary in German .
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dpa
Agreement about biomass
The heads of Germany鈥檚 ruling coalition have found a solution for the contentious support for biomass plants, news agency dpa reports. After postponing the decision in Tuesday night鈥檚 discussions between the federal government and state premiers, they agreed on Wednesday night that biomass plants will take part in the new auction system for renewables. The plants should also be expanded by 150 megawatts (MW) annually in the next three years and by 200 MW in the following three years.
Read the article in German .
See 威力彩玩法 article "Wind development has to wait for grid expansion".
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AG Energiebilanzen
鈥淓nergy consumption a little higher鈥�
Germany鈥檚 energy consumption in the first three months of 2016 was little higher than during the same period in the previous year, the AG Energiebilanzen reports. Energy usage of mineral oil, natural gas (2% more) and renewables (5% more) increased while consumption from hard coal (4% less), lignite (4% less) and nuclear power (7% less) fell. Wind power increased its share in total energy consumption in Germany by 12 percent, while the share of solar PV dropped by 8 percent.
Read the press release in German and download the energy consumption data for the first quarter 2016 .
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Handelsblatt
鈥淎 planned end鈥�
Germany is largely focusing on developing renewable energies but, while this is happening successfully, it has not had the intended effect of decarbonising the energy sector, writes Constantin H. Alsheimer, chairman of the board at Frankfurt utility Mainova, in Handelsblatt. While highly efficient gas power plants are standing idle, emission-intensive lignite plants are generating around the clock. To solve this problem there should be a coal exit plan, modelled on the existing nuclear exit, Alsheimer suggests. New coal plants should not be permitted anymore while existing ones should receive run time permissions. Free emission allowances should be taken out of the market. With this, a controlled phase-out of coal by the middle of the century would be possible, he says.
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Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21)
鈥淩enewables 2016 鈥� Global Status Report鈥�
Germany鈥檚 total renewable capacity excluding hydropower ranks third in the world behind China and the United States, according to the new Global Status Report by the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21). But the country comes second after Denmark when the capacity per capita is measured.听
Read the report in English .
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Mlex
鈥淕ermany presses for early review of EU emission goals鈥�
The EU should 鈥渒eep open the option of raising鈥� its 2030 climate goals before 2020, a German environment ministry official told a conference in Brussels, Mlex reports. The bloc should conduct an early review of its emission target of cutting 30 percent from sectors such as agriculture, transport, buildings and waste, Jasper Braam said. He also said that the EU needed to use more accurate emissions data in order to avoid falling short of the target.
Read the article (behind paywall) in English .
