The energy source that Germany moves to shut down, rescued the country from widespread blackouts in 2021.
Blackout News reports that more of Germany’s power is being produced by coal and nuclear fuels. In 2021, due to unfavorable weather conditions, wind and solar energy production plummeted in 2021 compared to 2020. “Germany’s power mix is getting dirtier.”
The figures were compiled by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Energiebilanzen (Working Group for Energy Budgets) and based on the first 9 months of the year. Compared to 2020, the first nine months of 2021 saw a 3.3% increase in primary energy consumption – mainly due to economic reco0very.
20% more coal power in first 9 months of 2021
But what surprised experts, Blackout News reports, were the sources of the energy: “Here, the largest increase in absolute terms can be seen in the coal-fired power plants that emit the most CO2. Hard coal consumption alone was 20 per cent higher in the first three quarters of the current year than in the previous year. Electricity and heat generation from hard coal increased by 28 percent.”
Lack of wind and sun, despite added capacity
According to Blackout News: “The working group attributes the high additional consumption of coal for energy generation compared to the same period last year to the unfavorable weather conditions for renewable energies. Wind power and solar plants delivered significantly less electricity compared to the same period last year despite higher installation capacity.”
The 2021 results further highlight the unreliability of green energies such as wind and sun as a source of stable energy, and remind that Germany’s plan to shut down its remaining coal and nuclear power plants will be far more difficult than the government appears to believe.
Renewables’s output plummet 16.1%
“In relation to total energy consumption, the share of renewables has decreased by a total of 16.1 percent compared to the previous year,” writes Blackout News. “Electricity generation by wind power plants fell sharply, by 18 percent for onshore plants and 14 percent for offshore plants.”
Solar energy fared even worse, producing only half as much as the year earlier.
To compensate for the missing wind and solar energies, both coal and nuclear plants had to take up the slack. Yet, these are the two conventional energy sources that the government aims to take offline completely by 2038 (nuclear by 2024!). A number a energy experts warn that this is a recipe for power grid disaster – especially as the German government moves to get more electric cars on the road.
Looming blackouts
Blackout News warns: “But if the government sticks to its plan to shut down the coal-fired power plants as planned, it is only a matter of time before the supply collapses. Therefore, prepare yourself in good time for a prolonged power blackout.”
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