2011 in Germany - Renewable Energy

Renewable Energy

By January 2011, around 17% of electricity, 8% of heat and 6% of fuel used in Germany was generated from renewable sources, reducing Germany’s energy imports (DENA, 2011). By early 2011, the renewable energy industry employed more than 350,000 people in Germany, up from 30,000 people in 1998. Germany hosted businesses like Enercon, Nordex and REpower Systems in the wind industry and Q-Cells, Schott Solar and SolarWorld in the solar industry. Germany was one of the world’s three major renewable energy economies (Renewable Energy Network 21, 2011).

In 2011, Germany's federal government worked on a plan for increasing renewable energy commercialization, with a particular focus on offshore wind farms. Among many ongoing developments in wind power, the Baltic 1 wind farm was commissioned on 2 May 2011.

Eight nuclear power reactors in Germany were declared shutdown on August 6, 2011: Biblis A and B, Brunsbuettel, Isar 1, Kruemmel, Neckarwestheim 1, Philippsburg 1 and Unterweser.

See also: Solar power in Germany and Wind power in Germany