Renewables in German auctions cheaper than existing coal and gas – Sandbag analysis

The rise in the price of carbon emissions, coal, and gas means that new onshore wind and solar can compete with the short term-costs of generating electricity from existing hard coal and gas plants for the first time, writes Dave Jones in an analysis for Sandbag. The lowest bids in German renewable auctions were around 38 euros per MWh, whereas coal generation costs have surged to around 46 euros, according to Sandbag. “The increasing competitiveness of renewables, against even existing coal and gas plants comes at an important time for the electricity transition in Europe,” writes Jones with reference to the German coal commission. The results do not apply to lignite, Germany's most important fossil power source, according to Sandbag.

Read the analysis in English here.  

Find background in the article Rising CO2-price could trigger German coal phase-out in 5 years.