RenewablePress.com

Renewable Energy - Press Center

fotolia 73444491 1280 256

Press Release

Publisher: Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR)

Energy turnaround: More new coal-fired power plants than ever before

Muenster - In Germany, more coal-fired power plants are going on line this year than ever before over the past 20 years. According to data from the Federal Network Agency, in 2013 new hard coal-fired power plants will for the first time produce power with a record capacity of almost 5,300 megawatts (MW), reported IWR, a renewable energy institute, in Muenster. Because it is planned for only almost 1,000 MW old hard coal-fired power plants to be shut down, the bottom line is that additional conventional power plant capacity of 4,300 MW is entering what is now already a saturated market.

\"The growth in renewable sources of energy and the decrease in power consumption have already today fully compensated for the shortfall in power that resulted from the eight atomic power plant closures in 2011\", said IWR director, Dr. Norbert Allnoch. This can also be seen from the German power export surplus, which last year climbed to 23 billion kilowatt hours (billion kWh) and reached a new record figure. But the shutdown of the next two nuclear power stations in 2015 and 2017, which have a total annual output of about 20 billion kWh hours, will result in an identifiable power shortfall, even with a continuous expansion of renewable energy on land and offshore (offshore wind energy), states the IWR. Allnoch: \"It is astonishing that the political debate surrounding the energy turnaround currently only focuses on putting the brakes on renewable energy, while at the same time, largely unnoticed, new coal-fired power plants are coming on line with record output.\"

Electricity prices to remain under pressure
As even more large coal-fired power plants are planned for the coming years, the pressure on electricity prices will only intensify. And for major customers these are already lower today than at any point since 2005. Allnoch: \"Whoever now purchases base load power on the exchange for the year 2017 will, at just over 4 cents per kWh, pay up to 55 percent less than in 2008 and, furthermore, will enjoy price stability for the next four years.\"


Background information
In 2012, provisional figures indicate that gross power generation in Germany reached a total of 617.6 billion kWh and was thus 11 billion kWh less than in 2010 (628.6 billion kWh). Atomic power plants produced 140.6 billion kWh of power in 2010, i.e. before the phasing out of nuclear energy. In 2012, the electricity generated by atomic power plants fell in comparison to 2010 by 41 billion kWh to 99.5 billion kWh. As a result of the lower power generation (-11 billion kWh), there is a net shortfall of electricity from nuclear power plant closures of 30 billion kWh. This shortfall was made up for by renewables with an increase of 32 billion kWh against 2010. Despite the fall in electricity production, the German power export surplus in 2012 was 23 billion kWh and thus stood at a new record level.


Muenster, March 1, 2013


Publication and Reprint free of charge; please send a voucher copy to
the International Economic Platform for Renewable Energies (IWR).

Attention editorial offices: For further questions please contact Mr.
Dr. Norbert Allnoch, International Economic Platform for Renewable
Energies (IWR).

Soester Str. 13
48155 Muenster
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)251 / 23 94 6-0
Fax: +49 (0)251 / 23 946-10
Email: info@iwr-institut.de
Internet: http://www.iwr-institute.com



Online press kit - all press releases from DE205640004


Press photos for editorial use only
Note: For the content of this press release the issuer / publisher of the release is »DE205640004« responsible.

The press release "Energy turnaround: More new coal-fired power plants than ever before " von DE205640004 is also available in the following languages:


More press releases from Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR)


About Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR)

In 1996, the International Economic Platform for Renewable Energies (IWR) was established as an independent and private service institution of the renewable energy industry. The IWR focuses on the fields of research, economic and policy consultation as well as media and international networks in the renewable or regenerative energies sector. One main objective of the IWR is to play an instrumental role in introducing and spreading awareness for an industrial, international business profile of the renewable energy industry.
Dr. Norbert Allnoch, Director of the International Economic Platform of Renewable Energies (IWR), 1995, on the definition: "According to our definition, the Renewable Energy Industry is one which takes an interdisciplinary approach to the issue of renewable energy supply (protecting both the climate and resources) and the construction of renewable plants and systems (industry policy for the three areas electricity, heat and fuel."Chronology of the Renewable Energy Industry - Important IWR contributions, including prizes and awards - 2007 Publication of the first structural analysis for a federal state according to the IWR-analysis method for renewable systems engineering and services�(study "Zur Lage der regenerativen Energiewirtschaft in NRW" )2007 International network-contacts:IWR-director Dr. Allnoch speaks with King Harald V. of Norway and �slaug Haga, norwegian minister of energy Presentation of the network / RENIXX in the USA, dialogue with McGinty, environment minister of Pennsylvania2006 IWR starts renewable stock index RENIXX� (

www.iwr.de