Futurology

1812 readers

199 users here now

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

Almost 52% of Germany's gross electricity consumption was produced by renewable electricity in 2023. An increase of 5% in one year. The goal is 80% by 2030; 100% by 2035. (www.cleanenergywire.org)

submitted 11 months ago by Lugh to c/futurology

14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] Lugh 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yet again, renewables prove the naysayers wrong. This time last year people worried Germany couldn't cope without Russian gas. Vladimir Putin lost that bet. Instead, efficiency measures and renewables mean Germany will never need Russian gas again.

Some people lament German decisions on nuclear power. Even France, Europe's nuclear leader, can't build new nuclear on time, or on budget. Their flagship new nuclear project, Hinkley Point C in England, is years late and has doubled in cost. Meanwhile, Germany is just over ten years away from being 100% renewables powered, and never needing nuclear again either. I still see plenty of people arguing that 100% renewable powered grids are impossible - yet here it is happening, right in front of our eyes.

[–] Endward23 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yet again, renewables prove the naysayers wrong. This time last year people worried Germany couldn’t cope without Russian gas.

And this isn't entirly wrong. Germany is in one of the biggest economic crises into a livetime. Maybe even bigger than 2008 worldwide. And one big issue with this are the hight energy prizes.

Instead, efficiency measures and renewables mean Germany will never need Russian gas again.

Germany, like the United States for that matter, still imported gas! There are even claims that Germany in fact still imports Russian gas with a middleman.

The renewables have big yet unsolved issues with the problem of timing. Renewables produces energy if the wind blows and the sun shines, not when people actually demand energy.

I still see plenty of people arguing that 100% renewable powered grids are impossible - yet here it is happening, right in front of our eyes.

Seriously, I would not bet on the casestudy of Germany for that. I could be backfire horrific.

[–] finishsneezing@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Renewables produces energy if the wind blows and the sun shines, not when people actually demand energy.

Can you explain this? Do transitional winds not cover mornings (the most energy heavy time of the day) rather well?

[–] Endward23 2 points 10 months ago

Can you explain this? Do transitional winds not cover mornings (the most energy heavy time of the day) rather well?

There are times in the year, which are called "Dunkelflaute" in German and in this time you have both: No solar energy and no wind energy. This mean, in this time you have a greater demand than produce.

Another problem is that the main demand of energy (privat households) is between 5 pm O'clock and 10 pm o'clock. At this time frame, you have usually lesser solar energy, while the peak of solar energy is during the noon, when the main part of people worked.

The problem is: How to store the energy for later use?