Nuclear Still Needed In Germany, Says Expert Report
Written by NucNet
Monday, 30 August 2010
An expert report the German government commissioned to help plan the country’s future energy policy concludes that most of Germany’s energy demand can be met with renewable energy sources by 2050, but that nuclear is needed in the meantime.
Environment minister Norbert Röttgen and economics minister Rainer Brüderle, who jointly presented the findings of the report in Berlin today, said the report argues for the longer use of nuclear energy to help in reaching these goals. The study says nuclear energy can be a “bridge technology”.
Eight possible scenarios for German energy policy are looked at in the report and compared with a reference scenario of continuing with Germany’s existing policy. The result depends – among other parameters – on how long the country’s 17 commercially operational nuclear units are allowed to continue operating.
Mr Brüderle said the report shows that extending the lives of nuclear plants by 12 to 20 percent would bring the most benefit. He said this would achieve savings of 8 billion euro (10 billion US dollars) by 2030. “If we give up nuclear power too soon, we will have to boost-up the coal-fired power stations,” he added.
Under legislation passed by a previous German government of Social Democrats and Greens, nuclear power is supposed to be phased out after each reactor has produced its remaining quota of electricity. That would mean final closure in about 2022. According to the report, Germany would miss its climate protection targets if this happened.
All of the scenarios in the report indicate that Germany can meet its climate protection targets if it increases its use of renewable energies and improves energy efficiency in all sectors. However, massive investments would be needed. The import of fossil fuels would be reduced, but electricity imports would rise.
Germany plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2020 and at least 80 percent by 2050 compared with 1990 levels.
