HTW Berlin: Only in 2150 completely renewable energy

The EEG is supposed to achieve the goals of the Paris climate summit. But at the rate of expansion to date, according to a study by Berlin's HTW, we will have to wait until 2150 for Germany to switch completely to renewable energies.
It is not news that the implementation of the climate turnaround will not proceed without effort. Based on the expansion progress of energy systems for renewable energies from the years 2000 to 2015, Volker Quaschning from the Berlin University of Applied Sciences has calculated in the so-called "sector coupling study".how long it would take for Germany to obtain 100 per cent of its energy from renewable sources. He arrives at the year 2150.

"Paris goals practically impossible"
"This makes it practically impossible to meet the Paris targets. Either the political leaders lack the necessary expertise or they do not intend to comply with the climate protection agreement at all," says Quaschning.

"We need to expand wind and solar energy three to six times faster than planned by the federal government," Volker Quaschning specified the results of his research group Solar Storage Systems at HTW Berlin: onshore wind power would have to be expanded by 6.3 gigawatts net per year instead of 2.8 GW gross, as envisaged in the EEG 2016. In the case of photovoltaics, as much as 15 GW would be required annually instead of the 2.5 GW envisaged in the EEG.

The HTW Berlin sector coupling study is available for download at the following link: https://pvspeicher.htw-berlin.de/sektorkopplungsstudie

At www.greenpeace-energy.de/presse you will also find a fact sheet with key results of the HTW study and additional calculations by Greenpeace Energy on the need for long-term storage (wind gas / power to gas) in the context of sector coupling.

Press release from 20 June 2016 by Greenpeace Energy eG and Prof. Dr. Volker Quaschning, Renewable Energies Course, Berlin University of Applied Sciences

Keywords: 100% EEs, CO2-neutral, Renewable, Research, Climate protection, New books and studies, Environmental policy

Hendricks: We can invest even more in the future. Budget of the BMUB grows to 4.07 billion euros

The federal government wants to significantly increase its spending on climate protection and the promotion of affordable housing in the coming year. "This is a key concern for the federal government, but also for me personally," emphasised Federal Minister Barbara Hendricks at the start of the Bundestag debate on her ministry's budget. According to the federal government's draft budget, the budget of the BMUB will grow to over four billion euros next year. Against the backdrop of rising refugee numbers, Hendricks pointed out that the federal government, federal states and municipalities are called upon to create more affordable housing. Significantly more money must be invested in social housing and affordable housing. The largest item in Hendricks' budget is therefore housing benefit, for which an increase of 200 million euros to 730 million euros has been estimated.

According to the draft federal budget for 2016, the overall budget for the BMUB to around 4.07 billion euros. This is around 205 million euros or 5.3 per cent more than in the current year. In addition to the housing allowance, funding for international climate protection projects, for research in the areas of the environment, construction and housing as well as for urban development funding has increased in particular. In addition, the BMUB 859 million over the next three years from the newly launched Future Investment Programme. This money will be used in particular for the national climate protection initiative, model projects for the construction of sustainable student and trainee accommodation, national urban development projects, the refurbishment of municipal facilities and age-appropriate housing.

Hendricks emphasised that there is a need for affordable housing in society as a whole. The influx of refugees is just one reason. Hendricks: "As a state, we have a responsibility to ensure that there is enough affordable housing available for everyone." This is why housing benefit will also be significantly increased from January. Around 590,000 people currently receive housing benefit. More people will be able to benefit from the increase next year. The BMUB assumes that the number of recipients will increase to around 870,000.

The minister put the need for new homes per year at at least 350,000. Hendricks: "It is absolutely clear that we need to invest significantly more money in social housing. I have therefore proposed at least doubling the compensation payments to the federal states totalling 518 million euros per year over the next few years." Hendricks was confident that this could be realised during the parliamentary deliberations on the 2016 budget. The Minister also proposed the temporary and regionalised reintroduction of declining balance depreciation. Hendricks: "We need the commitment of private investors. They should also help to provide rental flats in the affordable segment."

In order to provide additional support to the federal states and local authorities in the provision of refugee accommodation, the international climate protection initiative will play a central role. As part of the International Climate Initiative, investments to protect the climate and biodiversity will be increased by over 75 million euros to more than 338 million euros. Overall, Germany will double its international climate financing by 2020 and provide four billion euros by then.

Source (accessed 14/09/2015): www.bmub.bund.de/.../hendricks-wir-koennen-noch-staerker-in-die-zukunft-investieren/