The report discusses the challenges facing Germany in its decision to phase-out nuclear reactors, including higher electricity imports, barriers to increasing grid capacity and adapting it to renewables, and rising greenhouse gas emissions and electricity costs.
March 2012: The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) has issued a bulletin, titled “Key Points on Future Course of Germany’s Nuclear Phase-out Policy,” that analyzes the challenges and constraints facing Germany in its quest to phase out nuclear energy production.
The bulletin discusses Germany’s decision after the Fukushima nuclear power accident of March 2011 to phase out all nuclear reactors by 2022. This decision followed an earlier phase-out law in 2001 and a reversal of that policy in 2010. The bulletin indicates, on renewable energy, that wind generation challenges include the expansion of capacity and the enhancement of the grid. The bulletin emphasizes that challenges to expand natural gas use and coal thermal power generation include: energy security, in particular regarding Germany’s reliance on Russia as the main natural gas provider; an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; and rising electricity costs. The bulletin also reports on Germany’s increasing electricity imports resulting from the shut down of nuclear reactors, which makes the country more dependent on Europe-wide grid networks.
IEEJ is an associate member of the Global Network on Energy for Sustainable Development (GNESD), a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) facilitated knowledge network on energy, development, and environment issues. [Publication: Key Points on Future Course of Germany’s Nuclear Phase-out Policy]