The energy transition in Germany: state of play in 2022

Source: Energy & Management Powernews , 05 January 2023

Because of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, more coal and oil had to be converted into electricity and so the German climate protection goals are at stake, warned the think tank Agora.

In its annual report for 2022, the think tank Agora states that despite high energy prices and falling consumption, German greenhouse gas emissions are stagnating at too high a level. "Our risky dependence on fossil energy imports has become the focus of political attention," the Jan. 4 report states. "Short-term crisis management determined the political agenda, partly at the expense of important climate policy decisions," Agora states.

Agora at the same time sees the increased attention as positive if it now brings an acceleration of the energy turnaround. According to the report, Germany's greenhouse gas emissions stagnated at around 761 million tons of CO2 in 2022, missing the target of a 40 percent reduction compared to 1990 for the second time in a row.

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) commented on the report, pointing out that the official greenhouse gas balance sheet would not be presented by the Federal Environment Agency until mid-March.

Habeck criticizes transport ministry

"Despite the energy crisis caused by Putin's war of aggression and the additional coal-fired power generation that was therefore necessary, total emissions fell slightly in 2022 compared with 2021," Habeck said. The reason for this, he said, was significant energy savings and the high share of renewable energy in the overall German energy mix. In this respect, Habeck sees the government nevertheless on the right course: "We have set the necessary course with the most comprehensive EEG amendment in 2022 and with planning and approval accelerations at EU and federal level."

The expansion of renewable energies is finally picking up again after years of stagnation, the minister said. This is already visible in PV systems, he said, and will follow in wind power. "Our problem child is the transport sector, where CO2 emissions have risen again," Habeck continued. And unlike in the building sector, it has not yet been possible to develop a perspective that will change that, he warned, addressing Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP).

Accelerate expansion of renewables now

Agora also notes increased demand among the population and businesses for renewables, efficiency and electrification technologies. "In 2023, the German government urgently needs to implement structural measures to achieve both climate goals and energy security," the think tank warns. Simon Müller, director of Germany at Agora Energiewende, called it alarming that emissions have not fallen even though energy consumption has declined by 4.7 percent and the share of renewables has reached a new high of 46.0 percent of electricity demand due to weather conditions.

"The government must now make decisive and rapid improvements, because we need a threefold increase in additions from 2023 in order to achieve the 2030 renewables target," Müller said. In the next eight years, the addition of solar power must increase to 19,000 MW annually, onshore wind power to 7,000 MW and offshore wind power to just under 3,000 MW on an annual average.

The Agora Study "The Energy Turnaround in Germany 2022" is available for download.

Author: Susanne Harmsen