2013/10/12/Germany's transition to renewable power has been a stunning success
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- when: 2013/10/12 (2013/10/12)
- author: Chris Nelder
- source: SmartPlanet
- topics: myths Germany nuclear power coal power 2011 Sendai disaster/Fukushima sustainable power mainstream media
- link: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/intelligent-energy/myth-busting-germanys-energy-transition/
- title: Germany's transition to renewable power has been a stunning success
- summary: «Major English-language media have been propagating a false narrative about the stunning success of Germany's transition to renewable energy: the Energiewende. To hear them tell it, the transition has been a massive failure, driving up power prices, putting Germany's grid at risk of blackouts, and inspiring a mass revolt against renewables. Nothing could be further from the truth.»
Myths documented
- Myth: «After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan two-and-a-half years ago, Merkel quickly decided to begin phasing out nuclear power and lead the country into the age of wind and solar.»
- Fact: Germany's switch to renewables started in 1991, and the nuclear phaseout started in 2002.
- Myth: Germany is building more coal plants because of its nuclear phaseout.
- Fact: The count of coal plants under construction has actually fallen by six since Germany began its nuclear phaseout in 2011.
- Myth: Germany is burning more coal because of its nuclear phaseout.
- Fact: The increase was temporary, and is now reversing.
- Myth: Germany is the only European country opposed to nuclear power and overreacted to Fukushima.
- Fact: Germany isn't alone, nor even the most anti-nuclear country in Europe.
- Myth: Large amounts of renewable power are putting Germany's grid at risk of blackouts.
- Fact: Germany has the most reliable grid in Europe.
- Myth: Opposition to renewables is rising in Germany.
- Fact: The vast majority of Germans fully support the Energiewende. Citizens are now wresting control of the grid away from private utilities.
- Myth: Wind and solar are laughably small contributors to German grid power.
- Fact: Wind and solar are rapidly taking over power production in Germany.
- Myth: The Energiewende is driving up German grid power prices.
- Fact: Renewables are driving wholesale grid prices down.
The P2P Foundation, which brought this to our attention, has a summary of the myths.