Reality Check: Germany Does Not Get Half of its Energy from Solar Panels

[GliderGuider]

Reality Check: Germany Does Not Get Half of its Energy from Solar Panels

Here is the most popular meme: "Germany now gets half of its energy from solar panels." This does the rounds of Twitter and Facebook almost every day. In fact, it has now spread to more reputable outlets such as Popular Mechanics, and has even appeared on the website of Richard Dawkins, the inventor of the term meme, under the headline "Germany Now Produces Half Of Its Energy Using Solar." The problem, of course, is that Germany does not get half of its energy from solar panels, and will not do so any time soon.

As with any myth there are multiple versions. In this case it is either that Germany gets half of its electricity or half its energy from solar panels. The latter version is easily refuted by pointing out that the majority of German energy consumption is not in the form of electricity. BMWs, Mercedes and Volkswagens run on petrol and diesel, not electricity.

The more common version of the myth is debunked with simple reference to Germany's official statistics for electricity generation. And what they tell us is quite simple. Germany does not get half of its electricity from solar panels, instead the figure is around ten times lower. Last year only 4.5% of Germany's gross electricity generation came from solar panels, far short of 50%.

And if you want to think that half of Germany's electricity comes from something green you will be disappointed. 46% of generation comes from coal. And just over half of coal powered electricity in Germany comes from burning lignite, perhaps the most polluting way to generate electricity on the planet.

[KurtNYC]

1. This was a strawman -- Germany got half it's electicity from solar on one public holiday in June,

Popular Mechanics edited down the source of the story, "The Local", and deleted a HUGE caveat but this is kind of an interesting milestone for solar in Germany nonetheless...

"German solar demonstrated just what it is capable of in the first two weeks of June," said Tobias Rothacher, expert for renewable energies at Germany Trade & Invest, the country's economic development agency.

Analysis from the Fraunhofer ISE research institute showed solar panels in Germany generated a record 24.24 GW of electricity between 1pm and 2pm on Friday, June 6th.

And on Monday June 9th, which was a national holiday, solar power production peaked at 23.1 GW, which equalled 50.6 percent of total electricity demand - setting another milestone.

The week was unusually hot with highs of 37C and Rothacher put the record down to the warm weather and the fact it was a public holiday.

http://www.thelocal.de/20140619/germany-produces-half-of-electricity-needs-with-solar-power

[TheNutcracker]

2. No, but they have had solar on government bldgs for over 30 years so low cost to public to operate.

And...they just did this!! Here is the DU thread...yes right here on DU.

Complete with pics. This is a solar powered SuperMarket!! Do look in the background, and do notice the solar panels on the homes nearby. Germany is STILL working on it...and that is so much more than in the U.S.

Florida that boils with sun every darn day....well the government here has no will to upset the energy company monopoly there.

Check out this great former DU thread!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025100557

[trof]

3. It does appear that about half comes from renewables.

Close enough for me.

[Finishline42]

4. True enough - shouldn't just talk about solar - should also include wind as they complement

True enough.

Any discussion on the amount of electricity solar provides should also include how wind provides. I believe they get a lot from off shore wind farms.

But typically, wind and solar complement each other.

Does Germany have much in the way of hydro?

[FBaggins]

6. Not even close.

They are having their best year so far (favorable weather), but they're only just a bit above 1/3 renewable...

... and that's only if you "score" biomass as renewable.

http://www.ise.fraunhofer.de/en/downloads-englisch/pdf-files-englisch/data-nivc-/electricity-production-from-solar-and-wind-in-germany-2014.pdf

[Benton D Struckcheon]

5. EIA's page on Germany

Actual facts here: http://www.eia.gov/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=gm

Their carbon output is down considerably since 1991, so while the Facebook stuff is exaggerated, they have been doing a good job over there. Coal consumption has also fallen quite a bit. It went up a little after Fukushima since they sped up their decommissioning of nuclear.