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"Historical turning point": Solar energy instead of dependence on gas?

2022-10-27T07:21:21.828Z


"Historical turning point": Solar energy instead of dependence on gas? Created: 2022-10-27 09:11 By: Bettina Menzel North Rhine-Westphalia: Fitters install a photovoltaic system on the roof of a family home. © IMAGO/Ralf Ibing / snowfield photography From the point of view of researchers, the energy transition offers a historic opportunity to reduce Germany's energy dependency. Solar systems a


"Historical turning point": Solar energy instead of dependence on gas?

Created: 2022-10-27 09:11

By: Bettina Menzel

North Rhine-Westphalia: Fitters install a photovoltaic system on the roof of a family home.

© IMAGO/Ralf Ibing / snowfield photography

From the point of view of researchers, the energy transition offers a historic opportunity to reduce Germany's energy dependency.

Solar systems are part of the solution.

Berlin - Greta Thunberg recently spoke out against coal-fired power plants and for nuclear power plants during the energy crisis - at least if they are already running.

However, the climate activist also emphasized that the only way out of the climate crisis in the long term would be through renewable energies - such as wind and hydropower or solar energy.

How much gas can Germany replace with solar energy?

Current studies paint a positive picture.

On sunny days, solar energy sometimes covers two thirds of Germany's electricity consumption

The energy crisis triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine may accelerate the energy transition.

This is also evident from the annual report of the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Thursday.

If countries implemented their current plans, it could increase global investment in clean energy by 50 percent by 2030, it said.

IEA Director Fatih Birol spoke of a "historic and definitive turning point towards cleaner, more affordable and secure energy systems".

Similarly, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute express themselves.

In a recent study from mid-October, they examined the influence of solar energy on the energy transition.

Photovoltaics are already making a relevant contribution to the power supply in Germany: in 2021 there were already 2.2 million solar systems in Germany with an installed capacity of 59 gigawatts, which covered 8.9 percent of gross national electricity consumption.

On sunny days, the proportion was at times more than two thirds, according to the Fraunhofer Institute.

All renewable energies together accounted for around 42 percent of national electricity consumption.

Prices for solar systems have fallen by 90 percent in ten years - and continue to fall

At the same time, the prices for photovoltaic modules fell by 90 percent between 2010 and 2020.

Therefore, according to the researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute, even small photovoltaic systems can bring in "attractive returns".

The scientists expect that the prices for solar energy will continue to fall thanks to economies of scale and learning effects as well as technological advances.

An example of innovation in this area are new approaches to setting up the solar modules.

So far, solar systems have been oriented towards the south in order to optimize power generation around midday.

However, according to a study published in August by researchers at the University of Applied Sciences, an east-west orientation and a vertical structure could also generate solar power in the morning and evening hours.

As a result, less storage capacity would be required and the use of gas-fired power plants would decrease.

Energy mix at the edge of the opencast mine in Lusatia: a photovoltaic system on the roof of a barn, behind it a biogas plant and a depleted pit from the Jänschwalde opencast lignite mine.

© IMAGO/Rainer Weisflog

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In the energy crisis, politicians are trying to take measures shortly before winter to limit the effects of the lack of gas from Russia.

Germany has a direct influence on adjusting demand.

That is why politicians are increasingly calling for savings.

Germany will hardly be able to avoid a gas emergency in winter without at least 20 percent savings in the private, commercial and industrial sectors, emphasized Klaus Müller, head of the Federal Network Agency.

But the supply side is also to be rotated.

That is why Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) put his power in the traffic light dispute about the continued operation of the three remaining nuclear power plants in Germany and the natural gas infrastructure is also being expanded.

For example, three new liquid gas terminals on the German coast are scheduled to start work at the turn of the year.

This might not be a good idea from a scientific point of view.

Researchers at the German Institute for Economic Research warn that natural gas is not a bridging technology.

In a study published in July in the journal

Nature

, the scientists describe the effects of gas on the environment as harmful to the environment as coal or oil.

Methane is one of the most important greenhouse gases.

The methane emissions from natural gas may have been underestimated so far and the expansion of the natural gas infrastructure endangers the energy transition, according to the study.

The sun is also shining in Germany: Avoid new dependence in the energy supply

If the costs for the risks and burdens of nuclear and fossil power generation are one day included in electricity prices, photovoltaic power generation will become cheaper.

"Until we get that far, fossil and nuclear power will be sold at prices that disguise its external costs and put it off as a mortgage into the future," say the researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute.

The researchers conclude that if Germany wants to avoid a new dependency in the energy supply, the country must invest in photovoltaic production.

"As the energy transition progresses, Germany will leave the 'fossil' century behind, a century in which we spend up to 90 billion euros annually on oil and gas imports."

"The sun is shining in Germany, too," concludes the study by the Fraunhofer Institute pragmatically.

The energy transition offers a historic opportunity to get out of economic and political dependencies.

Raw materials for the production of photovoltaic systems are also available in Germany and the technologies for solar power generation have been significantly developed in Germany.

According to the researchers, the conclusion is apparently clear: "PV production in Germany offers long-term security of supply with high environmental, social and quality standards." From 59 gigawatts in 2021, the installed capacity in Germany would have to increase to 300 to 450 gigawatts.

This would require an annual increase of 12 to 20 gigawatts.

For comparison: In 2021, 5.3 gigawatts were added.

Even in times of war, we should not lose sight of the consequences of the climate crisis, Greta Thunberg recently warned: "Every war is a disaster.

On many levels.

But we have to be able to deal with different things at the same time.”

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-10-27

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