In the media: Bavaria balks at controversial grid decision
S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
鈥淏avaria does not need two grid extensions鈥�
The southern German state of Bavaria, one of the country鈥檚 industrial powerhouses, has completed a three-month 鈥淓nergy Dialogue鈥� consultation process meant to ease rising tensions over infrastructure for the Energiewende. But according to the S眉ddeutsche Zeitung, the region鈥檚 energy minister Ilse Aigner referred the most important decisions 鈥� the unpopular extension of the maximum-voltage grid to transport wind power to Bavaria 鈥� back to the central government in Berlin. In her concluding remarks, she seemed to suggest that one of the two grid extensions under discussion isn't necessary to secure Bavaria鈥檚 energy supply when the region鈥檚 nuclear plants are switched off.
See the 威力彩玩法 Dossier on the grid extension here.
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S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
鈥淎 lot of drivel about nothing鈥�
Commenting on the results of Bavaria鈥檚 鈥淓nergy Dialogue鈥�, Frank M眉ller writes in the S眉ddeutsche Zeitung that scant progress has been made. 鈥淭here are still those in favour and those against grid extensions. Still nobody really knows how Bavaria will replace the almost 50 percent of its electricity currently made up nuclear in just seven years.鈥� An expert commission would have been more appropriate to address the problems than a huge round table, argues M眉ller.
See the op-ed in German .
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听Handelsblatt
"Seehofer blocks the line"
According to Thomas Sigmund at the Handelsblatt, responsibility for the grid expansion problem now lies with Bavarian state premier Horst Seehofer, who will have to solve the contentious issues with the federal government. 鈥淭herefore, the never-ending story of the grid extension 鈥� necessary for the Energiewende 鈥� will continue.鈥�
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S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
听鈥淟ocal Utilities plan to create common brand鈥�
Municipal providers of heat, electricity and water plan close cooperation to attract customers under a common brand that could endanger the country鈥檚 biggest utilities, the S眉ddeutsche Zeitung reports. 鈥淲e want to build a common brand with strong internal and external ties,鈥� the German Association of Local Utilities (VKU), told the paper. But the article's authors, Markus Balser and Michael Bauchm眉ller, doubt if the utilities, which are frequently in competion with one another, can adapt fast enough to an electricity market that is undergoing rapid change due to the Energiewende and technological innovation. 听听
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Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
鈥淐lean technology can partially make up for weak CO2 pricing鈥�
A new study by German research institute PIK looks at the policies needed to keep global warming below 2 degrees, as long as CO2 prices remain too low to reduce emissions. Studies have shown that to have an impact, the price of emitting a tonne of CO2 would have to exceed 30 US dollars. But researchers at PIK says that in combination with support for renewables and a ban on new coal-fired power plants 鈥渁 sub-optimal price for CO2 of only 7 US dollars can initiate a necessary transformation of the energy system.鈥�
See the press release in English .
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epd
鈥淭枚pfer: the energy transition has to be socially buffered鈥�
Klaus T枚pfer, the former head of the UN environment programme (UNEP) and executive director of the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, told news agency epd that social equity represents one of the biggest challenges of the transition to a low-carbon economy. It would not be acceptable if the socially disadvantaged were to carry the heaviest burden, T枚pfer said, adding that ensuring this does not happen was as important as guarding energy-intensive and export-dependent industry from high electricity prices. Otherwise, T枚pfer said, the Energiewende was moving in the right direction but needed more investment in research.
See the article in German .
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Dow Jones Newswires
鈥淎dditional solar capacity almost halved in 2014鈥�
New solar capacity installed in Germany last year fell short of the government鈥檚 growth corridor, according to figures from the Federal Network Agency, Dow Jones reports. Around 1.9 gigawatts (GW) went online, compared to 3.3 GW of new capacity installed in 2013, and short of the 2.5 GW target set out in the EEG renewable energy legislation.
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S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
鈥淕reen politician's vision of a socially fair Germany鈥�
Former environment minister and member of parliament J眉rgen Trittin, has laid out his position on Germany鈥檚 energy transition in a new book 鈥淪tillstand 鈥� Made in Germany鈥�. Trittin thinks desiring an economy with almost zero growth is 鈥渘a茂ve鈥� writes Rudolf Hickel, in a book review for the S眉ddeutsche Zeitung. Instead, he envisions a balance occuring as the fossil and nuclear energy sector shrinks but the use of steel, cement and complex technology for wind power products rises. According to Hickel, Trittin says this 鈥渆cological materialism鈥� provides the basis for the 鈥渟ocial-ecologic transformation鈥� that he describes in further detail in the book.
