Taking stock of the energy reforms

Renewables are now our number-one source of electricity, and power consumption is down, but we need to continue to improve on energy performance. The Fourth Monitoring Report shows where we are in our energy transition, highlighting areas where we have made headway – and the ones where we need to do more.

Lower energy consumption that can boost GDP

Few countries can rival Germany when it comes to energy efficiency. 2014 was no exception here, with Germany posting GDP growth whilst reducing its energy consumption per euro in economic output.

Well on track on renewables

Germany will be able to rely on ever-greater shares of solar and wind energy. This was confirmed by a recent study conducted by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The study found that there is room for greater use of renewables, especially in the heating and transport sectors.

Do we need electric cars as mobile storage units for the energy transition to work?

Prof Julia Kowal from the TU Berlin and Prof Dirk Uwe Sauer from RWTH Aachen University give their answers.

How do you read the ‘energy label’ for old boilers?

In future, a host of multi-coloured efficiency labels will name and shame inefficient heaters – no matter whether they are old or new. January 2016 will see the introduction of the energy label for old boilers. But: how do you read an ‘energy label’ correctly, and are they all the same?

Reducing the cost of expanding local distribution grids

Everyone is talking about ‘electricity highways’, but what consequences does the energy transition have for local distribution grids bringing electricity to the homes of final consumers?

Quote of the week

"Europe does not need nuclear energy. We have seen a sharp increase in investment costs for building new nuclear power plants, operating costs are rising and there are still a number of sticking points including the dismantling of power plants and finding a final storage location for nuclear waste. All of this makes nuclear energy highly unprofitable, which is why a renaissance of nuclear energy – today or in the future – is impossible."

Claudia Kemfert, Head of Department Energy, Transportation, Environment at the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin)