Three of Germany’s eight remaining nuclear reactors have been off for most of April (and you thought they ran reliably 24/7…). What does power production look like now? What has the impact been on German power production? The IWR report points out what the Germans focus on: the lights stayed on – this statement is important for them because they were told for so many decades that Germany could not do without nuclear. But for foreign onlookers, the question is carbon emissions – and hence, coal power. The phaseout of the remaining reactors by the end of 2022 will leave a lot of space for electricity from coal plants, but two other factors might keep this potential growth in check: greater renewable energy production; and lower foreign demand for German electricity as the power plants moved back up the merit order, eventually allowing natural gas turbines to play a larger role.
Renew Economy 3rd May 2016 read more »