$137 Billion in 5 Years for German Clean Energy

Germany has seized upon renewable energy development as a way of retreating from power sources such a nuclear and coal. Their strategy is not only better for the environment, it is good economics as it is making them more energy independent and is creating jobs for German workers.

“With the decision to abandon nuclear power earlier this year, it was clear that the road ahead would be challenging. But Germany is in a very promising position to be the first industrialized country to rely entirely on renewable energy”, said Tobias Homann an energy expert. (Source: Scandoil.com)

So where are the billions coming from for all these renewable energy projects? The German Development Bank (Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau) is funding not just a handful of clean energy projects, but a nationwide approach to changing a fundamental aspect of their society. Germany is now a world leader, or the leader in renewable energy around the world, due in no small part to the role played by its federal government. There are problems of course; it would be very unrealistic to believe such a large-scale shift would happen without any challenges or struggle, but how often can a whole nation mobilize, cooperate and become effective in making positive changes with benefits for both the short-term and long-term? Sadly, war is often the example of such society-wide cooperation, both socially and technologically.

The American invasion and occupation of Iraq has been estimated to cost one to three trillion dollars in both direct and indirect expenditures, by the time the whole situation has been finalized. This war was unnecessary, cost many lives and caused even more injuries. Another disadvantage was the opportunity cost of not investing heavily in renewable energy like German has and continues to do. The United States imports tremendous quantities of oil, yet has a very large potential for both wind and solar electricity generation.

Of all nations, it stands to benefit greatly by becoming more energy independent, yet continues to spend huge amounts on military ventures, which are generally poor investments that undermine its own economic interests. Consider the first stimulus package and the focus on infrastructure projects, such as the attention on roads and bridges, which is a traditional short-term shot in the economic arm, but infrastructure could be expanded to include renewable energy as Germany appears to have done.

Some American politicians are using the Solyndra failure in order to scare people away from nationally funded solar and other clean energy technologies that need to be supported. If you need an example of how a nationally-supported clean energy development program is winning the day, just look at Germany, a nation that just some decades ago was rebuilding after a devastating war. Germany is only going to keep growing in the right direction, so just five or ten years from now they will be even more energy independent. Will the United States be?

Image Credit: afloresm

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KS G.

4:35AM PST on Dec 14, 2011

Thanks for the article.

send a green star

Holly L.

12:29PM PST on Nov 14, 2011

Great idea!

rene d.

3:27AM PDT on Nov 1, 2011

worth it.

Geraldine T.

9:24PM PDT on Oct 31, 2011

I don't know how many people have realised, like I have, that the climate has been changing for the worse, for longer then we have been hearing about on the news. I didn't need to have scientists tell me things were not right with nature.

I often hear about people wanting to cull animals because they are destroying their environment or they have damaged human property or even killed someone who entered their limited remaining living space. I can't understand this way of thinking when it's the human race who have over populated the world & still want more, so we take when little remains of the world these wild animals live in. If there is going to be a cull, I think nature/God will be doing one soon.

I not a scientist, or a member of a big company, nor am I religious or an atheist, but I do believe something in the bible about the end of our world, it says that the meek (modest living) will inherit the earth. The people who will survive this world are the ones who know how to hunt/gather food, who don't need a fancy car or house with the latest TV or gadget in it. These are the people who will respect natures gifts, & look after nature & thank nature in repayment of those gifts.

8:58PM PDT on Oct 31, 2011

Thank goodness for some common sense at last. I just hope all the people from all our earths industrialised countries, that are so selfishly taking from the earth without giving back, come to recognises you can't keep taking from nature, without consequences.

We in Australia have been told there is going to be a carbon tax for the big carbon producers, now I don't see how it is going to work but we do need to do something about the problem. The big carbon polluters have been trying to make out that there is no problem, & scientists are making it all up about climate change. These companies have been trying to turn people against the scientific facts, & telling people we will be paying more for their products.

I wouldn't mind the carbon tax if I could be assured that these companies wouldn't profit from it by putting up their prices past the amount of tax they pay, or if all the money from the tax went straight into renewable energy & restoring the earths nature balance, instead of putting into the money into pockets of the politicians.

Nick S.

5:41PM PDT on Oct 28, 2011

I saw plenty of evidence of this driving through Germany in the summer, there are windfarms and solar power stations around, it makes Britain and the US look like the dirty shitheaps that they are.

David K.

2:03AM PDT on Oct 28, 2011

Countries who criticise Germany will undoubtedly be found to have "missed the boat" in 10 years time when the peak resources has hit. First oil then water and probably potash for starters unfortunately economists with no appreciation of Limits to Growth have far too much influence on governments. If we have any nous we would all only build renewable power generation systems and would cease wasting money on roads but invest as much as possible in rail systems because they are so much more energy efficient than roads even if the vehicles are all electric.

Jinny L.

8:48AM PDT on Oct 26, 2011

The US needs to clean up their act. Stop appeasing big polluters and seriously pursue renewable energy development...it's time to end the polluted politics in our nation.

Susanne K.

4:24AM PDT on Oct 26, 2011

I think the reason for America not to follow is 1) the holyness of free radical capitalism allowing big companies to make utmost profit on cost of the community, 2) the Federal Bank printing too much money, so USD is highly inflationable. They replaced the gold deposit for oil deposit, since the USD is not fully covered by gold any longer. This might be why US government sticks so close to petrol solutions.
By the way - Scandinavian states have still more ambitious goals than Germany with respect to energy independancy. They had learned from Tschernobyl yet. Greetings from Germany

Rita W.

4:18AM PDT on Oct 26, 2011

thank you for sharing