The Japan nuclear accident may boost the German Solar Industry

April 07, 2011

The Germany policies have been impacted by the Japan nuclear accident, this biggest economic entity may usher a new era of renewable energy. Germany is the first European country which announced to close the nuclear power plants after the event of the nuclear leakage. The German Prime Minister Alexander Merkel announced to close down 7 oldest nuclear reactors temporarily and suspended the plan of extending the nuclear operation in three months. During this time, experts will conduct safety inspections of all nuclear power reactors; policy makers will discuss that whether change the policy permanently which extend 12 years the power reactors’ operating period averagely. Last year, Alexander Merkel decided to extend the operating period, but now the chancellors of the exchequer show the Germany may turn to develop the renewable energy for ensuring electricity supply. In 2002, the previous government expressed all the nuclear plants would be eliminated in 2021. Other European countries intensify the nuclear safety evaluation one after another. For instance, Switzerland has suspended 3 nuclear power plants and 7 light water nuclear power reactors which belong to Nordic countries are same type to this accident nuclear power reactor in Japan. As European countries and all the other areas of world rethinking the strategy of nuclear power, dealers’ funds are turning to renewable energy, particularly solar energy. German solar panel company SolarworldAG is one of the biggest beneficiaries whose stock has raised more than 30%. German renewable energy interest groups are seizing this opportunity to promote the development of alternative energy. The Chairman of German Renewable Energy Association DietmarSchutz said if the government truly devotes to accelerated develop the renewable energy, the project of extending the nuclear plants’ operating period should be abolished forever, not just for 3 months. And now the most urgent thing is to reconstruct our energy system. Currently, the nuclear and the renewable energy accounted for 23% and 16% of German total electricity consumption, respectively.DietmarSchutz said the renewable energy will meet 47% Germany energy needs in 2020. The rapid development of solar energy in Germany owes a lot to the good policy of on-grid power tariff. Currently, the solar power capacity is 17 million kilowatts, it increased by 7 million kilowatts as against the figure for last year. On cloudy days, the German wind power has great development potential. By the end of 2009, Germany has 21164 wind power stations and the total install capacity is 25.7 million kilowatts. By the end of 2025, wind power generation is expected to account for 25% of gross power generation. Germany is planning to build about 40 offshore wind farms along the north coastline; the capacity is 25 million kilowatts. In this respect, Germany should invest in new power grid, on one hand, it can transfer the new wind power station’s electricity, on the other hand, it can better control the volatility of wind power generation and solar power generation and manage the electricity which generated by small-scale facilities throughout country. Because the energy price has risen continuously, funds are another challenge for power grid. However the Japan nuclear accident intensified all sections of people’ concern about nuclear power technology and many anti-nuclear rallies have been held in Germany. Now the Germans should be willing to pay more for the safer and more environment-friendly energy. by lijie su oviera solar