Ecologically optimized extension of renewable energy utilization in Germany

Jan 2004

The targeted climate protection objectives require that in the long term, renewables should become the principal source of energy supply with a share of about 50 percent by around the middle of the 21st century. The Federal Environment Ministry therefore considers it necessary that after 2010 the share of German energy supply due to renewables should increase by around 10 percent per decade.
The favourable ecological effects that undoubtedly result from a marked extension of renewable energy sources with regard to the conservation of fossil energy resources and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions have to be considered in the light of individual unfavourable impacts on the environment.
Moreover, technology-specific conflicts may arise between climate and nature conservation interests and may lead to a rethinking of extension plans based entirely on technical or economic aspects. Examples of fields of conflict include water conservation (hydro power), encroachments on the landscape (wind power) and intensive use of biomass for energy purposes in the face of growing demands for “environmentalization of agriculture” and for greater consideration of nature conservation concerns.
In order to support the shaping of an “ecologically optimized” development path for renewable energy sources, the project pursues the following objectives:
Technical, economic and potential-related characterization of all relevant technologies for heat and power generation, and to a limited extent for fuel supply as well;
Representation and assessment of all environmental impacts of these technologies by means of environmental balances and having regard to significant nature conservation aspects;
An ecological and economic evaluation of various extension paths for renewables in the context of the further development of the overall energy system. On this basis, deduction of strategies for ecologically optimized extension of renewable energy sources having regard to economic and social aspects;
Analysis of the framework conditions from the point of view of energy policy and energy economics, and of possible instruments for achieving the extension objectives. This will provide a basis for formulating appropriate packages of measures and recommendations for action in the field of energy policy.
Special importance has been attached to establishing dynamic interactions within the long-term process of renewables development (period until 2050), not only with regard to still-unexploited potential  and progress in the field of technology development and cost reduction, but also in view of the ecological impacts resulting from changing economic structures and increased extension.

By: Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

 
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