Germany breaks sustainability records, generates 35% electricity from renewables

Germany has raised the percentage of its overall electricity generation from renewable sources to 35% this year. As per the BEE renewable energy association, Germany had produced 33% of its electricity from renewables in 2016, and has increased this proportion by 2% in the first half of the ongoing year.

Earlier reports state that Germany's evolution to renewable energy commenced in 2010, as an aftermath of the Fukishima nuclear accident. The country aims to phase out its nuclear power plants by 2022. Germany, one of pioneers of sustainability, has always been a lucrative business ground for global renewable energy market. The utilization of renewable energy in this country has been surpassing commendable heights since the last two decades, partly due to the Renewable Energy Act (EEG) that was introduced in 2014. The current year witnessed a reformation in the Act with a view to curtail renewable energy costs for customers. Experts state that it is therefore no surprise, that Germany’s power generation from renewable energy has increased by 2% from that in 2016. As per reliable sources, so far, in 2017, Germany has been sourcing its electricity needs from renewable energy – in effect, almost 85% of electricity has been generated from sustainable sources in sunny and windy days.

Germany’s voracious preoccupation with renewable energy is not restricted within the country. Recently, toward the end of June, the German government had initiated the ‘Marshall Plan’ for Africa to set up around 100 partnerships, using German energy cooperatives as role models. Africa’s energy demand is slated to increase by 80% until 2040, on the grounds of which the German Development Ministry will create similar energy cooperative groups in Africa to increase their energy production from renewables.

The German government has also declared that they will allocate EUR 31 million for the implementation of Zambia’s Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff program to increase the nation’s power generation capacity from sustainable resources.

As per reports, one of Germany’s key goals, was to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by a humongous 40%, until the year 2020, from what the value was in 1990. The BEE states that this goal seems to be slightly far-fetched, however, the nation’s aggressive efforts to promote sustainability are likely to give this goal the impetus it requires. As per the BEE, the reduction of carbon emissions will reach up to 30%, for most parts. The German government has also planned to transition into a decarbonized economy over the next 33 years, and has set a rather ambitious target of achieving 80% of electricity consumption in the country through renewable sources by 2050. It remains to be seen whether this zealous plan thrives the winds of pollution and GHG emissions.