Feeding Energy Ideas From Germany to Nova Scotia

Erica Butler — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:36:36 +0000

Nova Scotians Hear from Renewable Energy Policy Expert

Germany has been one of the most successful countries in the world at both reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and building an economy based around renewable energy. In 2008 it exceeded its Kyoto protocol targets for carbon emissions reductions. Yes, that’s right, exceeded. The same year saw about 280,000 Germans working in the renewables sector (more than the number working in the German auto industry) and about $25 billion Euros of economic activity in renewable energy.

So how did they do it? How did Germans top not only international targets, but even their own goals? (After aiming for a 12% share of electricity from renewable sources by 2010, Germany clocked in at 14% in 2007.) The short answer is, they tried. The first step to this sort of massive growth and change is just plain old political will, said Dr Christine Woerlen on Wednesday evening in Halifax. About 200 people gathered at Dalhousie University to hear the former head of the German Renewable Energy Agency explain the policies that led to Germany’s renewable energy success, and gleen how they might be applied in Canada and Nova Scotia.

Woerlen focussed on just a few of the key policies in Germany’s 29 point strategy, about 2/3 of which has been implemented to date. Far and above the most successful policy, according to Woerlen, has been Germany’s feed-in tariff system and its supporting regulations.

feed-in tariffs

Feeding Energy Ideas From Germany to Nova Scotia