Germany shows how shifting to renewable energy can backfire – commentary

Germany’s Energiewende – the decarbonisation of the country's economy and shift away from nuclear and fossil fuels to a renewables-based energy system – has led to “an explosion of renewable energy technologies being installed,” but has also had unintended negative consequences, write Randy Simmons and Josh Smith in a guest commentary for The Hill. Greenhouse gas emissions have not decreased as planned, and matching volatile renewables supply with demand was costly and led to high power prices for household consumers.

Find the guest commentary in English here.

For background facts, read the CLEW factsheets The causes and effects of negative power prices, Germany’s energy consumption and power mix in charts, What German households pay for power, Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions and climate targets.