Renewable Energy Sources in Figures - Fes-japan.org

FOrEWOrDDEaR REaDER,For the tenth year, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation andNuclear Safety has brought out „Renewable Energy Sources in Figures – National and InternationalDevelopment“. The publication documents the impressive growth of renewableenergies over the past two decades. In 1990, the renewable share of electricity consumptionwas just 3.1 percent, by 2011 this figure was as much as around 20 percent. Renewable energiesgained considerable ground in the heat sector too, particularly biomass, which played animportant role in the expansion of renewables. Starting at 2.1 percent in 1990, the biomassshare rose to 11 percent in 2011. Biofuels, which were only used to any significant degreefrom 2000, had a 5.5 percent share of the mobility sector in 2011.With its Energy Concept of 2010 and the decisions on the transformation of the energy systemtaken in June 2011, the German government launched the first comprehensive strategyfor renewables‘ expansion over the coming decades. The aim is to raise their share in electricitysupply to at least 35 percent by 2020, and by 2050 renewables are to be the main pillarof our energy supply, supported by major improvements in energy efficiency. The strategywill focus on ensuring supply security, sustainability and affordability. This can succeed if theFederation, the Länder and the local authorities are united in a single national consensus onenergy.The German government is now working hard to lay the foundations for successfully transformingthe energy system. The main task is to better synchronise the development of renewableswith the expansion of the power grids. The German government has also revised theRenewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), ensuring more market options, more competition andgreater cost efficiency. This will keep our transformation of the energy system affordable.This transformation is the most important post-war project for innovation. The future successof Germany as an industrial location will depend on the success of this project. Moreover, it isa project of and for the citizens – and that is why it will succeed.Peter AltmaierFederal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear SafetyRenewable Energy Sources in Figures5