Scientists agree: For the German electricity brown coal is not used necessary, under the hambach forest in the long term. On the grubbing-up could be waived – if it wanted to, the policy.
The scientific studies and recommendations of the German Coal phase-follow almost in a weekly rhythm: In the last month, the German Institute for economic research (DIW) published exit his model for the German Coal. Last week, the recommendation of the expert Council of the Federal government, and now the study, “by 2030, coal-free” by the Fraunhofer-Institute for energy Economics and systems engineering on behalf of Greenpeace follows.
The results and recommendations are in all of the studies, similar and also unique. A significant discrepancy between the Energy scientists don’t exist. The experts believe that Germany can achieve by 2020 the long-promised climate target of 40 percent less CO2 compared to 1990. What is lacking in this so far, however, was the strong will and dasHandeln of the policy.
Thus, the national and the international Paris climate goals are to be achieved, recommend all the experts to the quick and courageous exit from the current recovery with the particularly climate-damaging lignite and coal and the strong Expansion of Solar and wind energy.
Problematic for the German climate protection, the high current export much coal, electricity and extruded Gas-fired power is
Power supply is also secured in spite of coal’s exit
A threat to German security of supply, the experts do not see the end of coal-fired power generation in its calculations. In this respect, fears have been expressed, they reject it as unfounded.
As a buffer for the fluctuating supply of energy, especially from Wind and solar power – see the experts in addition to new storage systems, flexible biomass and hydropower, especially the Gas-fired power. You could. the current need for safe cover, by the Back of the coal-fired power in the next few years, and, in the future, always be flexible not to respond, if there is enough electricity from solar and wind power
In the next few years, experts predict that the supply of the gas-fired power plants on the Basis of fossil natural gas. In later years, you could be on synthetic surrogate gas converted, which can be made from climate-friendly electricity and water using electrolysis (Power-to-Gas).
German coal phaseout by 2030 possible
The Fraunhofer researchers worked in their study, exactly how Germany can reach the set climate goals and the Coal phase-out by 2030 is possible, without compromising energy security. The researchers were oriented in their analysis the fact that Germany makes a fair contribution to Paris climate agreement, in order to stabilize global warming at 1.5 degrees.
Do you recommend a Mix of different measures. This includes the decommissioning of the oldest lignite-fired power plants before 2020, with a capacity of 6.1 gigawatts (GW), and the slight Throttling of brown coal-fired power plants older than 20 years (7.4 GW). From 2025 then also newer brown would shut coal power plants down and up to 2030 to be decommissioned.
Also in accordance with the subordinate principle of age and pollution, the experts recommend that by 2030, coal-fired power stations successively from the grid and reduce your power production. “Germany in 2030, safe and carbon-free energy,” says Fraunhofer scientist Norman Gerhardt. “The already-lost goal of reducing CO2 emissions until 2020 by 40 per cent, is reached, the contribution to Paris climate agreement will be ensured.”
Protest at the hambach forest: coal destroys the climate, calls for a grandchild-friendly energy policy
Coal exit would save hambach forest
From the cut-off plan of the Fraunhofer researchers, the brown coal levels can be accurately determined, which will require the power plants Niederaußem and Neurath in the next few years. These two power plants will be from the days of the Hambach and Garzweiler building supplies. From now until 2030, you need, therefore, still have 250 to 280 million tons of brown coal.
According to the researchers, lie in the two days of the Hambach and Garzweiler build but still significantly more than 2000 million tons.
The policy would track the reasons this proposal with a view to climate protection, as a clearance of the hambach forest for the German energy security would not be necessary, a conclusion of the authors.
“The clean Alternative to dirty coal are already there, now the government needs to muster the political courage. Coal’s exit is merely a question of political will,” says Greenpeace energy expert Anike Peters at the launch of the Fraunhofer study in Berlin. “The growing peaceful Protest to the hambach forest shows that many people expect effective action from the policy.”
Hope on the exit strategy from Coal during open-cast mining Garzweiler for over 25 years, The citizens do not want to be resettled
A lot of benefits by coal exit
Climate economist Claudia Kemfert from the German Institute for economic research (DIW) considers the Fraunhofer-proposal of feasible and is also in favour of the triad of shutoff and throttling of the oldest coal blocks, as well as the systematic Expansion of Solar and wind energy. “Only if you start with the Coal phase out as quickly as possible and the Expansion of renewable energy is accelerating, there are still opportunities to achieve the climate objectives,” says Kemfert.
A Central role in the German strategy for climate protection, especially the Coal phase-out in the brown coal region of North Rhine-Westphalia plays according to the DIW. “NRW has to get out as the largest Issuer of faster than other States. There are many old and inefficient coal-fired power plants,” said Kemfert.
The rapid phase-out of lignite in NRW was due to the damage at the time of power generation but also “economically advantageous”. High social cost due to the Coal phase-avoid, is also emphasized by the German Federal environment Agency (UBA). Alone in the year 2016, the company has hidden costs due to health and environmental damage from the German coal-based power generation in the order of about 46 billion euros, so the UBA .
These costs, too, in the consideration of the Coal phase-out would be taken into account, it becomes clear how cheap a carbon exit for the company can be, even if the compensation payments to the affected energy companies are very generous.
According to RWE, information, profits from the operation of lignite power plants is currently approximately three cents per kilowatt-hour. According to the UBA arise at the same time, but the health and environmental damage of about 19 cents per kilowatt-hour, which will be borne by the citizens, as health insurance contributions and taxes. Coal and especially brown coal, is, therefore, in the overall analysis the most expensive energy.
The DIW Berlin stresses also the social benefits for the people in NRW at the open pit edge by means of a rapid Carbon phase-out. The coal phaseout can be designed to be in NRW so that at the Tagebau Garzweiler “, no other towns have to soft”. Also the phasing out of brown coal mining could be designed in such a way that the “nature conservation law, the reason why values of forest in the Hambach open pit mine”, can be obtained, it is said in the conclusion.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestDeep Concern
The Journalist Steffen Meyn came in the hambach forest, their lives at work. “After the press has been restricted in the last days often in your work, I am now in 25 meters height, to document the work of Demining”, tweeted on the day before his death. The next day, Heyn (27) crashes of a bridge between the tree houses. A Board gave way, he wanted to protect.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestClearance in riskier height
13. September began the clearing of the forest by the police. Environmentalists had built in the last six years, about 60 tree houses and against the clearing of the old forest fought back. The energy group RWE wants to further promote brown coal and is supported by the NRW state government. It has justified the eviction with the lack of fire safety rules in the tree houses.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestA life for the end of brown coal
The climate activists are young. Clumsy is one of them and lived for five years in the hambach forest. A few days ago this tree was destroyed house by the police. Clumsy calls for responsibility for future generations, and sees itself in the Tradition of other human rights movements. His non-violent resistance has also been documented from the accident to journalists.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestNo clearing of the stop, in spite of all Appeals
The eviction of activists from the tree houses is risky, time-consuming and takes hours. The inhabitants of chains, special climbers in the police try to break up the height of the resistance – for all Involved in a very dangerous Situation. However, despite all the warnings of the dangers of NRW holding of the regional government and the energy company RWE in the clearing.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestAbsurd?
The police officers do their Job, the tree houses, the forest dwellers. Also, many police officers hold the costly and dangerous use of unnecessary, since a coal Commission was appointed on behalf of the Federal government. This is to submit by December a Plan for the Coal phase-out. Therefore, it is possible that the lignite will continue to be funded under the forest never.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestThe resistance is growing
Approximately 100 to 200 young people currently living in the hambach forest or in the adjacent Camp. Small villages with tree houses have emerged in the past few years. So far, 39 houses were destroyed, according to police. The inhabitants are arrested and will face charges. In the case of the Sunday forest guides many people get a picture of the current Situation.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestMass protest against RWE
The first tree houses were on Thursday (13.9.) destroyed, three days later, the Sunday walk is to mass protest. More than 6000 citizens show solidarity with the forest dwellers. You are asking for a Pause of RWE and NRW state government, an escalation of the conflict had to be avoided. To the coal Commission to submit in December its Plan, no clearing should be carried out.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestCoal or future
For the protesters, the conflict is clear: RWE wants to be for profit reasons, as long as more brown coal-fired generation omen, in spite of climate change will be relentless and will Laschet from the NRW state government, under Prime Minister (CDU). Also, families are among the protesters and promote a climate-friendly future.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestRWE is playing with the wrong Numbers?
The Removal of the edges at the open pit mine of Hambach. RWE claimed that the clearing in this old forest is now in October is essential, because, otherwise, already in the short term, the supply of the power plants with lignite is at risk. According to the DW research, the assertion is not true, however, and without deforestation there is still enough coal for at least three years.
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Mourning to death in the hambach forestUnclear legal Situation
Brown coal expert Dirk Jansen (FEDERAL) declared members of the coal Commission, the situation on the ground. According to the environmental Association, the clearing in violation of applicable law. Also the competent Supervisory authorities in NRW have failed. New lawsuits have been filed. You may decide in the next few weeks, therefore, the justice, whether the forest may still be cleared.