The unfinished reform. An assessment of the energy transformation in Germany during the rule of the Grand Coalition 2013-2017. OSW Studies 69 November 2017

Bajczuk, Rafał (2017) The unfinished reform. An assessment of the energy transformation in Germany during the rule of the Grand Coalition 2013-2017. OSW Studies 69 November 2017. UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

In its time in power, which is shortly to end, the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition introduced key legislative changes enabling a further transformation of the energy sector (referred to as ‘Energiewende’), which provide for a total restructuring of the German energy system by 2050. The term Energiewende (energy transformation) became popular in Germany in 2011, when, in response to social protests following the disaster in the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan, the government announced a plan to accelerate the decommissioning of nuclear plants and began to use this term to popularise an energy strategy whose main aim was to develop renewable sources of energy1. The long-term goals of Energiewende include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80–95% by 2050 and increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the consumption of primary energy to 60% (from the present 13%). In the future, green electricity is set to replace not only the electricity produced in conventional power plants, but also natural gas used for heating and oil used in transport. However, it should be remembered that the roots of the Energiewende concept reach back to the 1970s and to the protests against the development of the nuclear energy sector in Germany. The German state has offered comprehensive support for the development of renewable sources of energy since the end of the 1990s. The energy transformation strategy enjoys considerable support from society; moreover, all political parties support it and their programme differences solely concern the pace of introducing this strategy and not the goal itself. Energiewende has become an element of German identity and an important component of a positive image for Germany. Thereby, the strategy is of major importance for German politics.

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