25Jun 2015 
"Regional cooperation means that we can help each other", Minister Gabriel said underlining the significance of the energy cooperation of the 'electrical neighbours'. Three questions asked by journalists on the margins of the EU Energy Ministers Council.
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They would do it again: people who live in Efficiency Houses are extremely happy with the results of the measures they have taken to make their homes more energy-efficient. Nicer room temperatures, better air quality – 94 per cent of those surveyed say they’d recommend the retrofitting measures to others.
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Most electric cars come from Germany. Speaking at the National Conference on Electric Mobility which took place from 15-16 June 2015 in Berlin, Minister Gabriel said that there is no other country that develops, produces and sells such a wide range of electric cars as Germany, and that the task now is to get more electric cars onto the roads.
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At the trade fair Intersolar in Munich, Minister Gabriel praised the solar energy sector's high capacity to innovate and great flexibility. It has produced highly efficient, marketable technologies. Only a few years ago, nobody would have believed in this development.
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The amount of electricity generated in Germany sometimes differs from actual demand – which can be higher or lower than expected. To stabilise the grid and energy supply, so-called balancing capacity has to be made available. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has allocated funding of €570,000 to a research project with the goal of accurately forecasting nation-wide balancing capacity on a daily basis.
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"By having your heating bill looked over by experts, you can find out whether you could permanently lower the cost of your heating. Tenants and property owners who do this now will have enough time to gather tips on how to get the best out of their heating system and make it ready for next winter."
Stefanie Jank, Project Director co2online
Find out moreThe European Union wants to raise the share of renewables in its final energy consumption to 20% by 2020. A report published by the European Commission detailing the progress made on the renewables targets for 2020 found that both the EU and the vast majority of Member States are well on course to achieve the target.
The G7 leaders have taken crucial decisions on energy and have set them out in the chapter on climate change in their Final Declaration. In this document, the G7 acknowledge that “deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions are required, together with a decarbonisation of the global economy over the course of this century”.
In order to raise the level of public acceptance for onshore wind energy projects, it is vital to keep local residents informed, to provide them with advice, to involve them in decision-making processes, and to offer innovative financing models. Some new guidelines drawn up as part of the EU WISE Power project show how these abstract findings can be put into practice.
Who will bid less? Last week, the Federal Network Agency, a separate higher federal authority within the scope of business of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, ensuring compliance with the Energy Act (EnWG), launched the second round of the auction for ground-mounted photovoltaic installations. Up until 3 August, bids can be placed for a total of 150 megawatts of PV capacity for which financial support is available. The Federal Network Agency has announced that it will keep a very close eye on bidders to ensure that they play by the rules.
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