Germany’s solar rooftops and wind turbines produced 70% of the country’s electricity requirements

The FT’s energy section contains a lot of dry,  factual stuff which usually appeals only to energy obsessed nerds like us.

But this story jumped out,  and we’re surprised it isn’t getting wider visibility in the mainstream media.  On Sunday May 11,  albeit for only one hour,  Germany’s solar rooftops and wind turbines produced 70% of the country’s electricity requirements.

It was clearly a happy coincidence that the wind was blowing at the same time that the sun was shining,  but clearly demonstrates that a large industrialised country can plan a future which doesn’t rely on importing and burning other people’s gas and oil.

German companies are still installing solar at a fair lick so it is reasonable to assume that the share of the nation’s electricity needs generated by renewable sources will grow.  As other nations continue to rely on imported energy,  Germany will find itself with a competitive advantage;  it’s already done the hard miles in transforming it’s energy landscape and can now start to enjoy the returns.  Every euro saved by not having to buy Russian or Norwegian gas stays in Germany.

What was until very recently still being seen as a madly risky scramble to embrace renewables is now being seen as another canny industrial investment.

nie gegen die Deutschen wetten,  as they say in Germany.

Read the full FT article here:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2ebd0eb4-ed6f-11e3-8a1e-00144feabdc0.html#axzz35TTrYtJP