Germany's National Grid in Trouble

The German Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency) has said in a new press release that the national power grid is in serious trouble and that action is needed. Heavy investment in renewables coupled with the shutdown of six nuclear power stations last year ⁽¹⁾ has led to a National Grid which cannot meet its energy obligations unless there is a change of policy .

This means that the likelihood of power cuts is growing. As a result, the Federal Network Agency is proposing to suspend some legal emission limits for plants. Older power stations due to be shut down because of their relatively high nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide emissions may have to be kept running.

Meanwhile energy prices continue to escalate in all countries where the meeting of 'carbon emissions' targets is deemed to be more important than maintaining a stable electricity supply.

Denmark, an early big spender on 'low-carbon' technology and wind power now has the developed world’s highest price for electricity; an average of about 40˘ (25P) per kilowatt hour. This is about three times the price of American electricity (see table below).

Germany, which also invested heavily in renewables, is a close second, followed by Holland, Belgium and Spain.

The result: inflated energy prices and lost jobs. Those who control a country's energy supply control its economy.

600,000 low-income Germans are being disconnected by their power companies each year for non-payment of bills, a number which will probably go up as a stream of global-warming projects in the pipeline causes further rises in price.

In the U.K., which has had the most politically correct climate leadership in the world, 12 million people are in fuel poverty. I have no information on the number of disconnections, but it is likely to increase as smart meters become more widespread.

We are rapidly climbing the rather unfortunate 'league table' shown below:



AVERAGE ELECTRICITY PRICES per kWh, rounded to nearest cent or penny, from a quick internet search:

40˘ (25P) Denmark
37˘ (23P) Germany
29˘ (18P) Holland
29˘ (18P) Belgium
27˘ (17P) Spain
25˘ (16P) Portugal
22˘ (14P) Britain
19˘ (12P) France
12˘ (8P) USA



Whilst on the internet I also did a quick search of internet sites for percentages of electricity supplied by wind power in 2011. This data isn't deadly accurate but it should be around ± 1%.

20% Denmark
18% Portugal
16% Spain
9% Germany
3% Holland
2% Britain
2% USA
1% Belgium
1% France



ND, habitat21




⁽¹⁾It is difficult to see why the nuclear shutdown was approved. The tsunami which caused problems in Japan is not likely to be replicated in Germany. I am unaware of any recorded tsunamis in mainland Europe.

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