History
IN THE 1980s, THE ECOLOGICAL AWARENESS OF GERMAN CITIZENS WAS MARKED BY ACID RAIN, DYING FORESTS AND THE DANGERS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY.
West Germany had been promoting nuclear energy as an alternative energy source since 1955. The technical feasibility, the technological innovation, the ability to control nature and natural science was regarded as modern and prestigious. In addition to this, German coal was regarded as on the way out and was no longer competitive on the world market. After the oil crisis of 1973/74 new hope arose that atomic energy would provide somewhat more independence in the energy question. However, on the 26th of April 1986, a meltdown occurred in the reactor core of block IV in the Ukrainian atomic power station at Chernobyl. The unimaginable, an MCA (Maxi mum Credible Accident), had occurred. Chernobyl heated the discussion about the incalculable risks of atomic energy and rekindled discussion about regenerative energy, which was until then only regarded as belonging to the realm of ecological visions. It was not until the collapse of the Eastern bloc that the theme of environment and energy arrived on the world political agenda.
International climate protection – Renewable energy as a rescue anchor
Heads of state and government from over 170 countries met in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. The conference was dominated by the keywords „ozone hole“ and „climatic upheaval“. The aim was a reduction in the emission of the green - house gases FCKW, CO2, methane and nitrogen oxide. The USA, under George Bush senior, would not take a fi xed position and the results of the Rio climate convention remained somewhat vague. In the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, the industrialised countries (with the exception of the USA and Australia) agreed to sink the emission of greenhouse gases to a level fi ve percent below 1990 levels, over a period from 2008 to 2012. The EU wants to reach eight percent and Germany has even set a target of 21 percent. Scientists estimate that the industrialised countries must reduce their emissions by about 80 percent by 2050, in order to stop the process of climate change at an acceptable level. Otherwise, researchers say that the world is threatened by a catastrophe: The average global temperature would rise by up to 5.8 degrees Celsius by 2100 and the sea level would rise by up to 90 cm over the same period. Hurricanes would then be an everyday occurrence and the climate zones and rainfall areas would move. In Germany, the fl ood of the century, the hottest summer of the century, and hurricanes would be an initial taste of this change.
The aims of the German government
The German government wants to reduce the dangers of atomic energy, and satisfy the Kyoto and EU guidelines, with a new direction in their energy policy. Independence from fi nite resources is also part of this goal. The exit from atomic energy and the Renewable Energy Sources Act are milestones for a sustainable energy policy. Environment and climate can only be protected when regenerative forms of energy stepwise replace fossil energy sources. A total of about 500 billion kilowatt-hours of power are produced in Germany every year. Atomic energy, lignite and coal each provide about a quarter of the total mix of generated power, gas provides about ten percent, and renewable energy sources also account for about ten percent – with more than half of this coming from wind energy. Although the human race can still exploit lignite and coal deposits for the next 100 years, the gas, oil and uranium reserves will be exhausted in the next 40 years. The price of fossil fuels will continue to rise over this time.
According to the EU guidelines, regenerative energy should account for a minimum of 21 percent of European power generation by 2010. To achieve this, Germany must produce at least 12.5 percent of its power using clean energy sources by 2010. Today the share is already 10.2 percent. In addition to the expan sion of clean energy sources, energy must also be conserved at the same time and energy effi ciency must be increased. In 2050, when almost no uranium, oil and gas remain – or at least only at insanely high prices – renewable energy should cover at least half of our total power requirements. Wind energy occupies special importance in German energy planning: By 2020, wind parks on land and at sea can supply 20 percent of the power consumed in Germany.