Germany has decided to shift its power generation from coal and nuclear to gas and renewables. The consequences is that since Fukashima carbon dioxide emissions have increased while power prices and taxes have soared. Here is a taste of the rough seas ahead for the clean energy movement in Germany.

"Used to describe the country’s wholesale shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy by mid-century, the Energiewende has become an environmental shibboleth for a generation of green-minded Germans. What started as the pipe dream of counterculture conservationists in the 1970s is the undisputed law of the land, now supported by more than 90 percent of Germans and touted as a global model.

There’s just one problem: The price of going green keeps rising. Using current energy market parameters as as benchmark, the total price tag for Energiewende would likely be about €1.1 trillion."

Though Germany is the world’s fourth largest economy, it accounts for less than 3 percent of the world’s greenhouse emissions. In other words, Germany alone will have little impact on the trajectory of global warming. And so far, no other major country is following its example.

The main worry, voiced primarily by German business, is that the shift will undermine industry by sending the cost of energy through the roof. Germany’s electricity prices are already double those in the U.S. and France.

“This places German industry at a serious competitive disadvantage that is only going to get worse,” said Ulrich Grillo, President of the German Federation of Industries, the country’s main industry lobby. “The electricity factor is a burden that endangers industry and therefore the livelihood of companies and their employees.”

http://www.politico.eu/article/the-good-green-german-gets-sticker-shock/

There is not a lot of common sense in Germany. I mean, who would allow 800,000 Muslims into their country in one hit? Germans are already paying the equivalent of $300 on top of their actual power useage for absolutely NOTHING - I.e, nothing for themselves: it goes to the thieving rent-seekers who own all those windmills on land and in the sea. You would be scratching to make a forced landing in an aircraft, given the forest-like swathes of windmills. I hope they have worked out how to produce steel without coal, or they will have to buy the elastic stuff from China.

Switching gradually from nuclear to renewables for
such a large nation is very obviously a
tremendous undertaking. Price has been one of the major
barriers - but it is no longer.
It shall be interesting to see how much more
German renewable energy will grow in the next several
years.

Foxy,

You obviously didn't read the article. Price is clearly a major barrier.

I did not explain things well at all.

Perhaps the following article may help:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_energy_in__Germany

Foxy,

Germany has spent a vast sum of money introducing renewable power to the country, but jury is out as to whether it is successful or not. The closing of nuclear power plant has led to Germany's emissions increasing.

Already the cost of power has skyrocketed to the point where industry and cost of living is threatened and as more renewables come on line the subsidy costs passed to consumers will increase further.

Additionally, due to the variability of renewable, while they contribute about 30% of the power on average, there are already many days when the turbines etc generate >100% of German demand so the power that Germans have paid 25c/kWhr is sold internationally at 5c/kWhr. Further renewables will largely add to these peaks and be sold way below cost to other countries.