The energy revolution is a single Gewürge for the SPD Bundestag Group Chief Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen (CDU) countered by pointing out that currently will incredibly much nonsense spoken. And the Greens at all blame for economy Minister Philipp Rösler (FDP): Show a maximum energy in being against it. How is the condition of the energy revolution a year after the nuclear disaster? In a word: Grow through.
Repository search.
A restart would do it. The search should begin once again 35 years after the salt dome in Gorleben as a final repository for highly radioactive waste has been selected. Norbert Röttgen, a white map promised in November 2011. Quite so white it looks however no longer where on the draft law of the Ministry of the environment Thursday negotiated between the Federal Government and laender. According to Wolfgang Renneberg, until 2009 head of Department in the Ministry for environment, nuclear safety, Gorleben is in it as Privileged reference site.
In its opinion for the SPD Bundestag group Renneberg comes to the conclusion that Gorleben, if the salt dome at all in the procedure be included to, according to the same procedure requirements be assessed must like the other sites. So, that is apparently also the federal countries group which was convened again on Thursday afternoon. Gorleben could leave as every other site in each stage of the proceedings, if the then-current safety criteria were not met, said after the meeting. The SPD Chairwoman in the Gorleben investigating Committee, Ute Vogt, described, however, the draft law before the meeting as Gorleben determination Act.
The SPD has also the creation of an Ethics Committee and in particular the creation of a new Federal Institute for final disposal superfluous. The SPD environmental politician Michael Mirsch sees the attempt to deprive the Federal Office for radiation protection. The biggest deficiency of the law is but according to estimates by Renneberg, it throws out the site selection of the Atomic Energy Act, and it makes a act preparatory. That mean, that the costs the taxpayer must be met, because the preparation of a law not can be blamed on the polluters.
In some countries, there are also concerns about the new Federal Institute and its democratic legitimacy, said Evelyne Lemke (Greens), Economics Minister in Rhineland-Palatinate. Röttgen said: The authority structure was discussed. But nothing was decided.
Renewable energy.
The renewable energy sources Act (EEG) in its latest form is just a good month in effect. However, since early January, a new solar energy debate rages. The reason: Each approximately 7,000 megawatts of solar power capacity in Germany have been installed in 2010 and 2011. At the same time, prices for solar panels have decreased dramatically. Therefore, there was an over promotion of solar power in the years 2009 to 2011. Many investors earn well.
Because nothing will change but by subsequent corrections. As of this year, a regulation is valid that the remuneration for the investment then installed automatically decreases after reaching a certain amount of expansion. However, Economics Minister Roesler has recognized the theme as an opportunity of profiling and submitted a draft law to dramatic limit of expansion of the solar power. To his wishes, the solar promotion is designed to support performance only a yearly extension of 1,000 megawatts.
However the solar power has significantly stabilised the electricity grids this winter. The cold and sunny weather has led to high solar power units the overall offering. And since the development of the offshore wind energy provided by the Government as particularly important, so wind turbines in the sea despite the KfW support programme and high single feed subsidies for offshore wind power, still not quite in order, Germany with its planned expansion path for renewable energy only therefore still on the course, because more solar systems have been built than planned.
In July, the compensation plan on around 20 cents is reduced. Achieve grid parity. In other words: the feed-in tariff is lower than the price per kilowatt hour electricity for households. For operators there is interesting to consume the electricity itself rather than to sell it.
Energy efficiency.
Energy efficiency is the largest deficit in the implementation of the energy revolution. the building reconstruction programme of the KfW-bank on EUR 1.5 billion should be increased 2012. However, because the prices per tonne carbon dioxide (CO2) in the European emissions trading are currently just over eight euros, lack of resources energy and climate fund, to finance the program. Currently just EUR 900 million available for this.
Thus, the potential for energy saving in the building stock is at its greatest. About 40 percent of the total energy consumed in homes, especially for the heaters. More home owners engage thermal insulation on the adventure, the governing parties wanted to introduce tax depreciation facilities. But the law depends on for months in the Conciliation Committee, because the countries wish to accept any tax losses.
In addition, there is so far no efficiency policy in Germany. The goal to save about 20 percent of energy consumption by 2020, is so in any case cannot be reached. However, Economics Minister Roesler locks since last summer against the planned energy efficiency policy in the European Union. The directive provides for the creation of a market for efficiency. Who trades with energy, to invest the equivalent of 1.5 percent of its energy sales in energy efficiency to its customers. Thus, a market which no longer depends on the liquidity of the federal budget would create. But Rösler condemned the proposal as Socialism and blocked a German Government position with its opposition. He has made so far no proposals, how energy efficiency in Germany could be improved.
Power supply.
With ever-growing shares of renewable energy further ensured with power supply Germany, it needs more power lines, power storage and countervailing power plants. A network expansion plan is currently in progress. However, it is not easy to build new power lines. Alone the submarine cable planned between Germany and Norway would consume the world cable production of three years. And planning takes time also.
The storage technologies, there are hardly sophisticated technologies apart from pumped storage power station. And the construction of conventional gas, which then jump when just no wind is blowing and the Sun does not seem not worth economically simply because these power plants likely to be run just a few hours in the year. Therefore, a discussion on the framework of the electricity market is currently being held in academic debate. Many experts consider necessary the creation of a so-called capacity market. This power station operators would pay the performance for the provision, because they could not live by the sale of electricity. In this debate the Federal Government not turned up so far.
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