Germany breaks renewables record during first half of 2012
Germany produced record volumes of renewable energy in the first half of this year, according to new industry figures that will come as a boost to the fast-growing European renewables market.
Germany’s National Association of Energy and Water (BDEW) published initial estimates late last week revealing that, from January to June, renewable energy technologies accounted for more than a quarter of the country’s electricity supply for the first time ever.
Wind accounted for the largest share of renewable energy, delivering 9.2 per cent of Germany’s energy mix and producing 24.9 billion kWh of electricity in the first half of 2012 compared to 21 billion kWh during the same period last year.
The level of biomass also rose from 14.5 billion kWh in the first half of 2011 to 15.3 billion kWh a year later, accounting for 5.7 per cent of electricity supply.
Significantly, the amount of solar photovoltaic power increased 47 per cent in the first half of 2012, rising from 9.8 billion kWh in the first half of 2011 to 14.4 billion kWh in the same period this year.
A spokesman for BDEW told BusinessGreen the solar power boom was caused by the combination of favourable weather conditions in March and May and a series of cuts to feed-in tariff incentives that prompted homeowners and businesses to rush through installations in pursuit of higher levels of subsidy.
The news is likely to be welcomed by the German government, which last year decided to rapidly expand its renewable energy capacity at the same time as phasing out nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
Some critics have questioned whether Germany would be forced to increase its reliance on imported fossil fuels to make up for a shortfall in power supplies caused by the nuclear phase out.
However, the BDEW spokeman said Germany has so far remained a net exporter of energy to the European market, even if export levels have fallen.
“It’s not as bad as some people thought it would be some time ago,” he said. “We’re still exporting energy but it’s not as much as before, so it’s really just a matter of scale.”
In related news, ScottishPower Renewables has taken the first step towards the construction of the Wikinger offshore wind farm in Germany, after awarding two €18m contracts for geotechnical studies.
ScottishPower Renewables, a subsidiary of Spain’s Iberdrola, yesterday confirmed UK company Gardline and Denmark’s GEO would carry out geological seabed surveys to help determine the foundation design of the proposed 400MW project in the Baltic Sea.
The Wikinger offshore wind farm is expected to require a total investment of €1.6bn and once complete could be the largest offshore wind farm located in water deeper than 40 metres.
Keith Anderson, chief executive of both ScottishPower Renewables and the Global Offshore Division of Iberdrola, said the start of sub-surface drilling represented a major milestone for the project
“The outcome of geotechnical testing will provide us with valuable data on conditions of the seabed, which will directly determine the construction and design of the piles supporting the giant wind turbines,” he said.
Germany’s National Association of Energy and Water (BDEW) published initial estimates late last week revealing that, from January to June, renewable energy technologies accounted for more than a quarter of the country’s electricity supply for the first time ever.
Wind accounted for the largest share of renewable energy, delivering 9.2 per cent of Germany’s energy mix and producing 24.9 billion kWh of electricity in the first half of 2012 compared to 21 billion kWh during the same period last year.
The level of biomass also rose from 14.5 billion kWh in the first half of 2011 to 15.3 billion kWh a year later, accounting for 5.7 per cent of electricity supply.
Significantly, the amount of solar photovoltaic power increased 47 per cent in the first half of 2012, rising from 9.8 billion kWh in the first half of 2011 to 14.4 billion kWh in the same period this year.
A spokesman for BDEW told BusinessGreen the solar power boom was caused by the combination of favourable weather conditions in March and May and a series of cuts to feed-in tariff incentives that prompted homeowners and businesses to rush through installations in pursuit of higher levels of subsidy.
The news is likely to be welcomed by the German government, which last year decided to rapidly expand its renewable energy capacity at the same time as phasing out nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
Some critics have questioned whether Germany would be forced to increase its reliance on imported fossil fuels to make up for a shortfall in power supplies caused by the nuclear phase out.
However, the BDEW spokeman said Germany has so far remained a net exporter of energy to the European market, even if export levels have fallen.
“It’s not as bad as some people thought it would be some time ago,” he said. “We’re still exporting energy but it’s not as much as before, so it’s really just a matter of scale.”
In related news, ScottishPower Renewables has taken the first step towards the construction of the Wikinger offshore wind farm in Germany, after awarding two €18m contracts for geotechnical studies.
ScottishPower Renewables, a subsidiary of Spain’s Iberdrola, yesterday confirmed UK company Gardline and Denmark’s GEO would carry out geological seabed surveys to help determine the foundation design of the proposed 400MW project in the Baltic Sea.
The Wikinger offshore wind farm is expected to require a total investment of €1.6bn and once complete could be the largest offshore wind farm located in water deeper than 40 metres.
Keith Anderson, chief executive of both ScottishPower Renewables and the Global Offshore Division of Iberdrola, said the start of sub-surface drilling represented a major milestone for the project
“The outcome of geotechnical testing will provide us with valuable data on conditions of the seabed, which will directly determine the construction and design of the piles supporting the giant wind turbines,” he said.
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