Solar industry expects strong growth / Energy transition research
German Solar Industry Association (BSW) / Bloomberg
According to German Solar Industry Association BSW, the industry’s business climate has reached a seven-year high, reports Brian Parkin for Bloomberg. The association said it expects solar companies’ order books to keep growing in the coming months thanks to high-yield expectations and low interest rates. “An increasing number of consumers and companies are becoming solar self-suppliers, so-called prosumers,” association head Carsten Körnig said in a press release. Almost half of new solar arrays are now coupled with a battery storage system, according to BSW.
Read the Bloomberg article in English here and find the BSW press release in German here.
Tagesspiegel
The German government spent 876 million euros on energy research last year, a slight increase over 2015, reports Dagmar Dehmer in Tagesspiegel. Two thirds of the money went into renewables and efficiency research, followed by nuclear fusion and nuclear safety, according to a report by the Ministry for Economics and Energy.
Read the article in German here.
Find the ministry’s report in German here.
For background, read the CLEW dossier New technologies for the Energiewende.
Enerdata
German utility EnBW has received official permission to decommission and dismantle the Philippsburg-1 nuclear power plant, according to research and consulting firm Enerdata. However, the Philippsburg-2 unit will continue operations until late 2019. The dismantling operations of Philippsburg-1 will last 10-15 years according to EnBW.
Read the article in English here and find the EnBW press release in German here.
Find background in the CLEW dossier The challenges of Germany’s nuclear phase-out.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
The decision by logistics company Deutsche Post DHL to double production of its self-developed electric van is an embarrassment for established truckmakers, according to an article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. “The industry believed for a long time it could take its time when it came to new mobility concepts and hybrid solutions,” according to the article. “But the engineers in the commercial vehicle industry are running out of time.” The looming diesel driving bans in many cities have triggered an entirely new dynamic in urban mobility, according to the article.
For background, read the CLEW dossier The Energiewende and German carmakers.
Rheinische Post
Deutsche Post DHL is eyeing global production and sales of its electric van, StreetScooter. Board member Jürgen Gerdes told Rheinische Post: “In the long run, global sales of 100,000 units per year are conceivable with ten production plants.” He said he could envisage strong demand in New York, San Francisco and Beijing.
Read the article in German here.
Süddeutsche Zeitung / dpa
German power consumers might face a further rise of electricity costs caused by grid expansions required for e-mobility, according to a report by news agency dpa carried by the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Supplying e-car charging stations with electricity requires significant upgrades, the Federal Grid Agency (BNetzA) told the agency.
Read the report in German here.
For background, read the Factsheet What German households pay for power.
Federal Grid Agency (BNetzA)
The average successful bid in Germany’s first tender for offshore windparks was “far below expectations” at 0.44 cents/kWh, according to the Federal Grid Agency (BNetzA). “Offshore wind energy emphatically demonstrates its competitiveness,” said the agency’s president Jochen Homann in a press release. The four successful bids had a combined volume of 1,490 MW, and ranged from 0.00 cents/kWh to 6.00 cents/kWh. “The results show that some bidders believe they can do without support” by selling the electricity, a spokesperson told the Clean Energy Wire.
Read the press release in German here.
