Could the German Energiewende be a blueprint for the United States? Jonathan Thompson recommends to learn from the German experience and realize that the transition makes sense not only environmentally, but also economically.
All posts tagged: USA
Obama’s Climate Moment in Berlin
Last week, Barack Obama came to visit Berlin. American journalist Osha Gray Davidson argues that the US can learn a lot from Germany’s energy policies: Its impacts are already visible from the Reichstag in Berlin to the smallest village.
Germany takes the first step toward a supergrid
If the Energiewende is to succeed, the electricity grid needs to adapt to the flexible load and necessary transmission of renewables. David Roberts gives an overview about the challenges, policies and future of the grid in Germany.
What Americans think about Germany’s energy transition
In May, Rainer Baake and Jennifer Morgan published an article at Bloomberg recommending German renewables policy to Americans. Craig Morris found the reader comments especially interesting, both in what was said and what was completely left out.
German renewables community united
American Ozzie Zehner is looking for “alternatives to alternative energy.” Craig Morris agrees with practically everything he says but nonetheless feels that Zehner’s approach is self-serving. Orgs in the US all protect their own industries. Who is left to call for a true energy transition?
Wanna be 30 percent renewable in 2014? Just consume German power
In a recent article about the German energy transition, a researcher in the US looks at the challenges Germany faces. But Craig Morris thinks the report says more about Americans than about Germany.
German reliance on coal from the US
A German NGO has joined the call for a German coal phaseout – and invited a US activist to Germany to raise awareness about where Germany’s hard coal is coming from. Craig Morris wonders whether the discussion is focusing on what’s important.
“The Era of Coal is Over” – In Los Angeles!
The City of Los Angeles has announced that it plans to replace coal power with renewables, efficiency and natural gas starting immediately. Craig Morris wonders how doomed coal is in the rest of the US – and in Germany.
Seasonal Power Storage – The Challenge for Solar
A recent article at Slate.com is a refreshing exception to the frequent misreports. Nonetheless, Craig Morris has a few nits to pick and says that the bad news for Germany is the good news for the United States.
Clean Break Inspires Americans to Pursue “Energy Change”
Renewable energy journalist Osha Gray Davidson recently released a book called Clean Break, detailing the German Energiewende (translation: energy change). John Farrell points out how the book essentially tells a societal story of how Germans systematically shift to clean energy.