Moreover, the government will also need to address recent social acceptance and permitting issues affecting Germany’s onshore wind sector, as well as repowering of ageing wind facilities. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's European qualification, 2020 Men's EuroHockey Indoor Nations Championship, 2020 German Indoor Athletics Championships, 2020 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, "Germany and Berlin to host men's European Olympic qualifier! Events and observations associated with the holidays we list may be canceled or otherwise affected due to measures taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, at the same time that Germany’s own production of gas is small and declining, its gas imports from European sources are also set to fall in the coming years, especially from the Netherlands, where production from the Groningen field is declining and due to fully terminate by 2022 at the latest. Most wind capacity is located in northern Germany, whereas most demand comes from metropolitan and industrial areas in the south and west of the country. Beyond nuclear, the government also has a strategy to phase out the use of coal-fired power generation to help meet emissions targets. That said, the government’s planned coal phase-out could help reset the country on a path to achieving its longer-term emissions targets in the electricity sector. The Energiewende is clearly visible in electricity generation, where it has increased the share of renewables. * Observed only in some communities of this state. The Russian Federation is by far the largest gas exporter to Germany, followed by the Netherlands and Norway. Notably, the increased use of natural gas in electricity generation, especially to meet peak electricity demand, will also increasingly tie electricity security to gas security. Germany has taken steps to reform its electricity market regulation to ensure smoother system integration of variable renewable generation, notably with the passage of the Act on the Further Development of the Electricity Market in 2016. © Time and Date AS 1995–2020. Planned nuclear and coal phase-outs are set to increase the country’s reliance on natural gas, making it increasingly important to continue efforts to diversify gas supply options, including through liquefied natural gas imports.

However, high electricity costs, driven by levies, charges and taxes (including the Renewable Energy Act surcharge to subsidise renewables) are impeding opportunities to use more electricity in the heating sector, especially in a context of low taxation on fossil fuels. Did you know that each Full Moon has a different name in some cultures? The growth in electricity generation from renewables has lowered emissions, but the nuclear phase-out as well as higher electricity exports have offset some of the emissions benefits.

Reforms to the Renewable Energy Sources Act in 2014 and 2017 created a welcome overhaul in renewable energy funding towards more competition and greater cost efficiency, limiting the previous system of fixed funding rates, which became too costly and less necessary as the deployment costs of wind and solar came down rapidly. Although the German government is focused on a massive expansion of renewables, the phasing out of both nuclear and coal generation will increase Germany’s demand for natural gas in power generation, including as a backup fuel source for renewables; hydrogen derived from renewable sources holds potential as a longer-term solution. The renewable energy sources with the largest capacity additions – onshore and offshore wind energy, large photovoltaic systems, and biomass – are now required to compete in auctions, where only the cheapest offers are awarded contracts. Moreover, using more renewable energy in heating systems will form a critical plank of decarbonising Germany’s heating sector. In place for nearly a decade, the Energiewende is a major plan for transforming the German energy system into a more efficient one supplied mainly by renewable energy sources and without electricity generation from nuclear by the end of 2022. Compared with the base year of 1990, the key goals are to achieve at least a 40% cut in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2020, 55% by 2030, 70% by 2040 and 80-95% by 2050, at which point the country expects to be mostly GHG-neutral. The key policy strategy areas described in the programme are the National Action Plan on Energy Efficiency, the Energy Efficiency Strategy for Buildings, transport sector measures (including mileage-based charges for road freight vehicles and federal funds for long-distance public transport), and measures in the electricity sector (to increase renewable energy, modernise fossil fuel power plants and develop more co‑generation plants 1 ). Over the last four decades, Germany’s energy supply has shifted from a clear dominance of coal and oil to a more diversified system. Specifically, in the 2010 Energy Concept, the country aimed for renewables to account for 35% of gross electricity consumption by 2020 and overachieved this with 38% in 2018 and 44% in the first half of 2019. 2 September – The German government claims to have "unequivocal proof" that Alexai Navalny was poisoned with, This page was last edited on 1 October 2020, at 17:33. Moreover, Germany’s heavy reliance on diesel vehicles in road transport has contributed to rising air pollution, especially nitrogen dioxide emissions.2 In addition to efficiency improvements in line with EU requirements as well as promoting EVs, the Climate Action Plan 2050 also identifies local public transport, rail, cycling, walking and digitalisation as playing important roles in achieving climate targets in the transport sector. Now, the government must refocus its efforts to achieve stronger emissions reductions in lagging sectors.

No holidays shown? The plan is also mindful of the distributional impacts of climate policies and aims to ensure a level playing field across sectors and stakeholders. The government launched a task force on emissions reduction in the transportation sector, called the National Platform Future of Mobility, to make recommendations on addressing transport sector emissions. Large combustion facilities in the power and industry sectors are part of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), whereas non‑ETS emissions are subject to the Effort Sharing Decision until 2020 and the Effort Sharing Regulation from 2021 to 2030. Now, the government must refocus its efforts to achieve stronger emissions reductions in other sectors, notably transport and heating. As sub‑targets, the commission recommended decommissioning at least 12.5 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired power plants by 2022 and 25.6 GW by 2030. Since the 2013 International Energy Agency (IEA) review of German energy policies, the Energiewende continues to be the defining feature of Germany’s energy policy landscape. The package represents a clear step in the right direction towards Germany meeting its 2030 targets. It faces notable challenges in transport and heating. Public opposition to north-south high-voltage transmission lines has slowed down construction of new overhead lines considerably and eventually forced costlier underground construction of interconnectors; public opposition remains an impediment to the siting of necessary infrastructure. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of any IEA newsletter. 30 April – 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Germany - After a summit between Angela Merkel and state leader, the federal government allowed opening of museums, monuments, botanical gardens and zoos, and religious services under strict social distancing conditions. As the intended carbon tax will also apply to heating emissions, it will bolster existing energy efficiency efforts in the sector. Keep up to date with our latest news and analysis by subscribing to our regular newsletter. Due to increased generation from wind and solar, network constraints preventing transmission from the north to the south, delays in grid expansion, and the fact that Germany has only one bidding zone, northern states are facing power surpluses and southern ones are experiencing deficits, an imbalance that will worsen as the last of the country’s commercial nuclear power plants in the south and northwest close and wind comes online in the north.

Co-generation refers to the combined production of heat and power. IEA (2020), Germany 2020, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/germany-2020. Given Germany’s rapid growth in renewable electricity, there is an attractive opportunity to both increase the direct role of renewables in heat generation and pursue sector coupling, to use more renewables-based electricity for heating.

So Germany remains far off its 2020 emissions target of a 40% reduction. Germany has diversified oil supply sources, a well-connected supply infrastructure, a liberal market and high oil emergency reserves that all contribute to maintaining the country’s strong security of oil supply.

That's because you didn't select any holiday types. On October 1, 2020, the Harvest Moon will light up the sky. Get up to speed with everything you need to know about the 2020 Eifel Grand Prix, which takes place over 60 laps of the 5.148-kilometre Nurburgring, former host of … Connections to carry wind power from the north to the south are insufficient. Hover your mouse over the region or click on the holiday for details.

In its energy transition so far, Germany has maintained a high degree of oil, natural gas and electricity supply security.

As such, grid expansion is a stated priority for the government.

To reach a broad social consensus on the coal phase-out plan, the federal government established a Commission on Growth, Structural Change and Employment in June 2018. The government also agreed to use some of the revenues from the new carbon pricing system to lower the costs for households and companies by providing tax relief and a reduction in fees on electricity prices. In Oct 2020, there are two Micro Full Moons: a Micro Harvest Moon and a Micro Blue Moon. To date, Germany’s Energiewende is clearly visible in electricity generation, where it has been effective in increasing renewable electricity generation. Furthermore, coal, which represents the largest source for power generation today, is planned to be fully phased out by 2038. Both policy and regulatory reforms can help Germany achieve a cost-efficient, equitable and sustainable pathway to meeting its highly ambitious energy transition goals. Continued growth in renewables in line with Germany’s energy and climate targets will require a number of measures for advancing electrification and system integration of renewables, including improvements to taxation and market regulation, and expansion of the transmission and distribution infrastructure, including improving its functionality. Notwithstanding the nuclear phase-out, Germany’s focus on renewable power and a planned coal phase-out (along with its participation in the EU ETS) will help ensure progress in the power sector.

Furthermore, the commission proposed that coal mining regions receive EUR 40 billion in transitional assistance. May.

The German government initially planned to further increase the share of renewables in electricity to 50% by 2030, 65% by 2040 and 80% by 2050. The uptick in demand will increase Germany’s already-high call on natural gas imports.