broschuere ee zahlen en bf

oVerVieW of economic imPActS
48 Renewable Energy Sources in Figures
Overview of the economic impacts of expanding
renewable energies
In the preceding pages we have seen that while the expansion of renewable energy involves
costs, it also gives rise to substantial benefits. Public attention is often focused on the costs of
renewable electricity under the Renewable Energy Sources Act. By contrast, other areas of application
of renewable energy sources and especially the benefits associated with their expansion
tend to take a back seat. Accordingly, there has so far been a lack of a comprehensive,
scientifically based overall view of the effects on the lines of a cost-benefit analysis.
To fill this gap, the Federal Environment Ministry awarded an extensive research project to a
project team led by the Fraunhofer ISI/ Karlsruhe; in 2010 this published a first detailed interim
report. In May 2011 this report was most recently updated with figures for important
key indicators for 2010. It is evident that a soundly based overall economic assessment of
renewable energy sources needs to take account of a wide range of aspects and interactions
(ISI et al. [53], [55]).
For further information, see the BMU’s Renewable Energy website at
www.erneuerbare-energien.de/45801/45802/.
Interrelationships considered in an economic overview analysis of renewable energies
category System-analytical distribution aspects
impact type Benefits costs Burdens relief Stimuli 2)
Analysis area
Subject of
analysis
differential costs, equalisation costs, control costs and grid expansion costs,
transaction costs, taxation, support funding, employment and revenue, avoided external costs,
merit order, avoided imports, portfolio effects, …
total renewable energies
renewables-based electricity renewables-based heat
eeg-
related
independent
of subsidies
mAP-
related
independent
of subsidies
macroeconomic
gross
effects 3)
ee-
Wärmeg
net
effects 4)
other
interrelationships 1)
other renewable energies 5)
1) the „miscellaneous effects“ cannot be clearly allocated to the three main categories listed. they include possible effects
of renewable energy expansion on innovation intensity, for example in the field of renewable energy technologies, spill-over
effects in the technical and political fields, impacts on environmental awareness, changes in social norms with regard to ideas
about climate protection, and advantages of renewable energy for internal and external security.
2) investments, for example
3) gross employment
4) net employment, gdP
5) transport/mobility, for example
Sources: iSi et al. [53], [55]