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18.12.2009 Dear Madam, Dear Sir, Thank you for your interest in German renewable energy technologies and welcome to the sixth edition of the “renewables - Made in Germany” newsletter in 2009. This service is brought to you by the Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) – the German Energy Agency, supported by the German Ministry of Economy and Technology. Today’s issue features articles on the following topics:
We hope you enjoy reading this issue. The Renewable Energies Division of dena. If you would like to recommend this newsletter to someone else, please feel free to send the following link: Contents
Germany striving for forerunner role in climate policyThe necessity for developing a new road map for the global economy was stressed by the new Federal Environment Minister, Norbert Röttgen, in a government policy statement in front of the German parliament. “The environment is the natural basis of life for all of humanity. We endanger our very existence if we do not come around to a sustainable way of life and economics,” says Röttgen. “We need a globally binding climate protection programme – with clearly defined political goals, instruments and financing mechanisms.” In order to keep the ramifications of climate change under control, all global citizens will have to come to a mutual understanding and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 per cent by the year 2050. By 2020, the industrialised countries will already have to have reduced their emissions by 30 per cent. To show its determination, the new federal government has set itself the goal of reducing emissions by 40 per cent. With this goal, Germany will remain an international trailblazer. Through an ecological modernisation, Germany wants to become the world’s most progressive economy. At the same time, the minister stressed that climate protection is a task that must be pursued by all states and that it is encouraging to see that more and more developing countries are prepared to take visible steps in this direction. In order to support developing countries in their efforts, he demanded financial help from the European Union. On the occasion of a meeting of the EU Environment Council in Brussels he said: “The EU is aware, that it has to make a prominent contribution to the “fast-start” financing. The European Council has put the global benchmark at five to seven billion euros per annum. It would seem fitting to me if the EU were prepared to carry its fair share of around one-third of that sum.” Investments in ecological systems pay offInvestments in ecological systems are a cost-effective way to strengthen their resilience to the effects of climate change or natural catastrophes. And it helps to secure food supplies, fight poverty and promote economic development. These are the main conclusions of the report “The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity” (TEEB). The planting and protection of 12,000 hectares of mangroves in Vietnam, for example, costs over one million US dollars. At the same time, it saves over 7.3 million US dollars that would be needed to maintain dykes. According to TEEB, by investing around 45 billion US dollars in protective areas it would be possible to protect vital nature-based expenditures of 5,000 billion US dollars annually. The TEEB study was commissioned in 2007 by Germany and the European Commission at the suggestion of the G8 environment ministers in order to study the economic value of biological diversity. Up until now, the natural environment and the contributions it makes have not been taken into account in the calculations of national economies. TEEB recommends a fundamental reworking of this model and demands that governments supply financial incentives to protect eco systems and the benefits that they provide. The wide-ranging values presented by nature have direct economic consequences for human welfare and for public and private expenditures. The recognition and economic valuation of the ways in which a natural environment benefits society has to be given political priority, the report states. South Africa pays for ecological powerThe National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has announced further tariffs for the feed-in of power from renewable energy sources. The operators of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) trough systems without storage will receive 3.14 rand (0.28 euros) for every kilowatt-hour fed into the national grid. If they produce electricity with CSP Tower plants with a storage of six hours per day, then they receive 2.31 rand (0.21 euros). Solar thermal power plants are allowed the use up to 15 per cent of fossil fuels. “The approval of the second phase of REFIT is a major milestone in creating an enabling environment for achieving the Government’s 10,000 GWh renewable energy target by 2013 and sustaining growth beyond the target”, said Thembani Bukula, Regulator Member Primarily Responsible for Electricity. In a first step, South Africa had introduced tariffs for wind power, small water power plants and landfill gas systems in March 2009. The payments will continue for 20 years. The feed-in rates will be reworked in six months. German Federal Network Agency announces new reimbursement ratesThose who install a photovoltaic power system in Germany in the coming year with a power rating of up to 30 kilowatts will receive 0.39 euros per kilowatt-hour fed into the national grid. Systems with up to 100 kilowatt will receive 0.37 euros, those with a capacity of up to one megawatt will receive 0.35 euros and systems larger than that will receive 0.29 euros. Electric energy from open field systems will receive 0.28 euros. This was announced by the Federal Network Agency. The amount paid for power produced by photovoltaic systems in Germany is dependent on the installed capacity during the past 12 months. The amount paid will be decreased further when the total installed capacity exceeds 1,500 megawatts. For this reason, since 1 January, 2009, all operators of such systems are required to register the capacity of their system with the Federal Network Agency. California changes remuneration system for renewable energiesStarting next year, Californian utilities with more than 75,000 customers will be required to offer feed-in contracts with a term of 10, 15 or 20 years for renewable energy systems with a capacity of up to 3 megawatts. According to the new rules, this power will also belong to the Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS), which requires utilities to obtain a certain percentage of their power from renewable energies. Up until now, only larger projects were able to take part. The tariffs depend on the reference market price of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and are time dependent. Power produced at peak times has a higher remuneration rate. German Federal Ministry for the Environment demands development of electric vansThe Federal Ministry for the Environment is prepared to spend up to 9 million euros to support a project of the Daimler AG aimed at the development and testing of electric transport vans. In the coming year, the automotive company plans to let customers test 50 Mercedes-Benz transport vans under day-to-day conditions whose drives systems have been designed to run on electricity. These systems are missing one drive train that is used in combustion engines. Daimler hopes to gain insights into the adaptation of the drive system, energy management and the use of energy during braking. The company also points to the lithium-ion battery as a further focus of development. “Electric vehicles are particularly suited for use in business where they are often only used for short distances with frequent starts and stops, for example when making deliveries. Here the efficiency of the electric motor gives it a definite advantage over the combustion engine”, says the Federal Ministry for the Environment in a press release on the Daimler project. Alpha ventus, Germany’s first Offshore Wind Park, is completedOn 16 November, the alpha ventus operating consortium announced that the last wind turbine of a total of 12 in the wind park 45 kilometres north of the island of Borkum has been set up. According to the operators, alpha ventus is the first offshore wind park in the world with one dozen 5-MW-class power turbine units. Construction time was a total of seven months. First Palestinian solar thermal plant inauguratedThe first solar thermal plant for warm water supply and central heating on Palestinian territory has gone into operation near Beit Jala on December 2, 2009. The solar plant has been realised by Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) – the German Energy Agency – and by Ferrostaal AG within the framework of the “dena Solar Roofs Programme for Foreign Market Development” with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi). The solar plant was a donation made by Ferrostaal to a Palestinian school with an excellent regional reputation for its multi-religious pupil body and the equal opportunity education of girls and boys and has a total collector surface of over 200 square metres. “renewables – Made in Germany” – Products and ServicesGerman renewable energy technologies have an excellent reputation both at home and abroad. Many years of experience and countless references around the world make “renewables – Made in Germany” a reliable source to meet your project needs. The website Get in Touch – “renewables – Made in Germany” Business TripsAre you looking for contacts with experienced German companies in the renewable energy sector, or more information about renewable energy technology from Germany? If so, the German Chamber of Commerce (AHK) in your country may be able to help. As part of the “renewables – Made in Germany” programme, delegations of German business representatives from the renewable energy sector travel to all parts of the world to showcase their expertise and products and to explore possibilities for future cooperation. Each event includes a one-day seminar where you receive information about current developments in renewable energy technology and the products of the German companies that are represented. If you would like to get in touch with individual companies, the German Chamber of Commerce Abroad in your country has the ability to act as a liaison. The following table shows all the dates and countries that are part of the trade mission for the beginning of 2010. If you are interested in attending one of these events or require more information, please contact the relevant German Chamber of Commerce Abroad: For more information please contact: “renewables – Made in Germany” Business Trips
More than 50 business trips are designed for the year 2010. You will find further information in the following “renewables – Made in Germany” Newsletters. The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology takes “Renewable Energy Technologies” abroadAnother opportunity to make contact with German companies in the renewable energy technology sector is to attend the trade fairs organised by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. Visit the German community booth to speak directly with German companies and receive information about the latest technologies!
dena-Subsidy Overview EU-27 – REN Heat November 2009The dena-Subsidy Overview EU-27 – REN Heat offers the latest information on grant programmes and regulatory frameworks in the EU Member States. The information on technologies which generate heat from renewable energies is presented in concise table form. The latest version of the dena subsidy overview EU-27 got published in November. It informs the reader that a new programme eligible for small, medium and large companies has been put in place in Italy subsidizing projects for innovative energy production with a volume between 500.000 euros and two million euros. Likewise, new incentive programmes have been published in further Italian regions. Spain launched a programme financing hot water heaters on various subsidy levels. Furthermore, the Spanish profile shows numerous changes in many regions regarding the respective calls for tenders and other incentive programmes. The November issue of dena’s EU-27 REN Heat subsidy overview provides in addition information for new developments in Germany, Greece, Austria, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Slovakia and Czech Republic. Thank you for subscribing to the “renewables – Made in Germany” Newsletter. Service and Editorial InformationFor more information about German technologies and manufacturers in the renewable energy industry, see our website Legal NoticeDeutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena) - German Energy Agency Supported by: Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology Subscribe and unsubscribe to this newsletterClick here to unsubscribe from the “renewables – Made in Germany” Newsletter. If you are currently reading the newsletter sent to another subscriber but would like to subscribe yourself, please click here to register for the newsletter. |
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