Since the beginning of the new millennium the German government has been working with many large domestic companies to face the obstacle of upgrading their power grid. Germany is the sixth largest consumer of energy worldwide; switching energy to new renewable sources is a difficult task. So far the process has been expensive but effective, boosting German clean energy consumption from a mere 6.3% in 2000 to a whopping 25% in 2012. The government is diversifying its clean energy production by investing research into many different sources of renewable energy. Sustainable sources of energy have been heavily subsidized and millions from the federal budget have been spent on scientific development. New wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric energy projects have proved to have many benefits. This dramatic rise in clean energy has created many new jobs in addition to lessening the countries dependence on foreign oil. By supporting the development of new, more efficient technologies German companies are now dominating global markets.
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Are there any bad things that are being caused by this movement?
Good question Colin, of course there are pros as well as cons in regards to Germany’s clean energy usage. Anyone who uses energy in Germany is paying extra money to help the government to subsidize clean alternatives, also with the closing of many nuclear reactors Germany has begun to rely upon Russian energy imports. German officials are beginning to worry about their new dependance upon Russia. However the German people made this choice consciously, when they elected the “grand coalition” of the green party, the social democrats, and the christian democrats. Overall the German people are very concerned about the dangers of nuclear energy, only time will tell if their clean energy policy is the way of the future or a costly mistake.