The German Energiewende clearly has a European dimension and communication has not been ideal. Manfred Ungemach and Markus Przytulski look at how the German parties want to embed the German energy transition in broader European energy policy.
Author: Energiewende Team
2013 German Election Energy Party Profiles – Part 6: Energy Efficiency
What do the German parties have to say on energy efficiency? Manfred Ungemach and Markus Przytulski compare the different positions in the upcoming federal election.
2013 German Election Energy Party Profiles – Part 5: Towards a New Market Design?
Manfred Ungemach and Markus Przytulski continue their series on the German parties’ profiles with an analysis of the different positions on a new market design and capacity markets.
2013 German Election Energy Party Profiles – Part 4: The Future of Conventional Power Plants
While renewable energies play an increasingly important role in the German electricity mix, some conventional power plants are still needed as backup supply. Manfred Ungemach and Markus Przytulski compare the parties’ positions on how to keep conventional power plants on the grid while their operation becomes increasingly uneconomical.
2013 German Election Energy Party Profiles – Part 3: Grid Extension, Electricity Storage and Smart Grids
What positions do the German parties have on the necessary grid extensions that go along with the Energiewende? How can politics encourage the development of storage technologies? Manfred Ungemach and Markus Przytulski explain the parties’ standpoints in the upcoming federal elections.
2013 German Election Energy Party Profiles – Part 2: Future of the EEG Surcharge and Electricity Tax
Who will carry the cost of the Energiewende? Manfred Ungemach and Markus Przytulski look at the different party positions on the EEG surcharges in the upcoming federal elections.
2013 German Election Energy Party Profiles – Part 1: Market Integration of Power Generation from Renewable Energies
In the face of the upcoming federal elections on 22 September 2013, Manfred Ungemach and Markus Przytulski analyze the competing parties’ agendas on key questions concerning German energy politics. The topic of this first post is the question how the parties want to integrate renewable energy into the energy market and therewith expose the production of renewable energy to market risks.
Without strong German leadership, the adoption of an ambitious renewable energy policy across Europe will be impossible
Debates are currently taking place over the EU’s energy and climate targets for 2030. Andrzej Ancygier and Kacper Szulecki note that Germany has so far kept an unusually low profile in the talks, which is at odds with the country’s active promotion of ambitious renewable energy and climate targets during its EU presidency in 2007. Using the case of Poland, which has so far shown reluctance to making the transition to renewable energy technology, as an example, they argue that there will be significant costs for both the German economy and European climate policy if the German government does not take a leading role over the issue.
Five lessons from Germany’s renewable energy transition
Germany’s Energiewende is unprecedented. Sam Friggens argues that Germany’s successes and challenges can be valuable lessons for other countries that want to switch to a renewable-based electricity system.
Germany’s Energiewende – criticism is part of development and innovation
International commentators have often taken domestic criticism concerning the Energiewende as proof for a lack of public support. Martin Brandt argues that criticism of the German Energy Transition is part of a long-term development and innovation process.