Germany's Energy Transition Progresses

The annual report on Germany's Energiewende (energy transition) has given the process full marks for its progress in 2015. Most notably, renewable energy sources became Germany's most important source of energy, with a share of 31.6 percent, even allowing for a slight increase in energy consumption (an increase largely attributed to cooler overall weather).

Even more pleasing was the overall fall in energy bills, by 1.4 percent for households and 2.1 percent for industrial customers not eligible for tax relief on their energy usage.
Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Sigmar Gabriel was delighted with the scorecard, saying it confrimed a 'near complete implementation' of an 'ambitious programme'.

Dr. Benno Bunse, CEO of German federal economic development agency Germany Trade & Invest which provides extensive consultancy services to potential investors, also took great pleasure in the review's positivity. "Germany's economy and people have overcome some great challenges to make the Energiewende a globally-leading national energy concept," he said.

"The targets Germany has set are ambitious, but the innovative strengths of the German economy and the generous funding to investors willing to take the risks involved in such an ambitious project, are both creating great value-adding rewards as we march towards those targets. Germany continues to pioneer this energy transition process, which is nowhere near finished, by exploring all innovations and investing shrewdly in the future."