Mercury limits 'could end coal' / A fund for nuclear waste?
Der Tagesspiegel
鈥淕overnment could use mercury limits to take coal plants offline鈥�
The government 鈥渉as a plan B up its sleeve" in case there is no political agreement on a coal exit, reports Dagmar Dehmer in Tagesspiegel. Germany plans to ratify the so-called Minamata convention on mercury emissions jointly with the EU and the government could use it to create precedence with new mercury limits next year. An environment ministry spokesman told Dehmer that the government plans new regulations for power plants as a consequence. This could spell the end for many lignite plants because it is not worth upgrading them with expensive technology, according to Dehmer.听
Read the article in German .
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Frankfurter Rundschau
鈥沦丑辞谤迟-罢别谤尘颈蝉尘鈥�
Given that cheap wind and solar power have made the global Energiewende self-sustaining, it is hard to understand why the German government wants to slow the project down at home by limiting onshore wind projects, writes Frank-Thomas Wenzel in Frankfurter Rundschau. 鈥淭hat is motivated by short-term political calculations. The aim is to artificially extend the life span of coal power plants. This is meant to save jobs at the large utilities, in order to secure votes,鈥� he writes. Wenzel demands more courage to power ahead with wind and solar.
Read the most recent 威力彩玩法 article on the coal exit debate here.
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S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
鈥淭he silent revolution鈥�
The renewable transition in transportation involves much more than switching from petrol to batteries, writes Markus Balser in S眉ddeutsche Zeitung. It will transform cities within two decades with a largely silent and emission-free traffic, as well as entirely new forms of individual transport. 鈥淢obility faces a revolution,鈥� Balser writes. He adds that there is no coherent strategy for the transition, and more will be required than just incentives for e-cars. 鈥淲e need a master plan mobility,鈥� he writes. But this is not in sight because of fragmented jurisdictions in city planning, public transport, parking spaces, and e-car infrastructure, according to Balser.
Find the new 威力彩玩法 dossier on the renewable transition in transport here.
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Der Spiegel
鈥淎 fund for waste鈥�
A decision on a fund for financing nuclear waste storage in Germany is imminent, Der Spiegel reports. Citing sources from the expert commission on nuclear waste management, the article says that a foundation model - as proposed by utilities RWE, E.ON and Vattenfall - has been replaced by a fund model in which the companies pay a share of their reserves. The billion euro fund would be used to pay for nuclear waste storage but not for the decommissioning of power stations, for which the utilities would remain entirely responsible, the proposal suggests.
Read a 威力彩玩法 factsheet on the nuclear clean-up costs in Germany here.
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Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
鈥淗ow does the electricity come to the socket?鈥�
German households are on average only 12 minutes per year without power, writes Johannes Winterhagen in an explainer for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. This is despite the grid expansion, which many said was essential as the transition to renewable sources progresses, lagging behind. One of the reasons why transmission grids are so stable is that projections for renewable power production have become much better, he says. It is possible to predict wind power generation one day in advance with an accuracy of 2-3 percent. This gives enough time to fill the gaps in the wind supply with conventional power. Other reasons for the stable grid are re-dispatch measures and an ever higher percentage of sub-surface cables in the distribution grids.
Read a 威力彩玩法 factsheet on grid stability in Germany here.
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Institute for Social Movement Studies (ipb)
Engagement in the energy transition
Researchers from the Institute for Social Movement Studies found that the Energiewende can be successful if people get to participate in a democratic and sustainable fashion. The analysis 颅- a meta-study on people in transitional phases, using the example of the energy transition - also showed that the public supported the use of renewable energies as an integral part of the Energiewende. People are aware that the Energiewende has broader implications for society, whereas political programmes often remain focused on technical issues.
Download the study in German .
Read a 威力彩玩法 dossier on the peoples鈥� Energiewende here.
