CO2 emissions from German power production down 15 per cent in first half of 2019

• 5 years ago (2019-07-08)
• David Flin

Emissions 65 Europe 1088 Renewables 776

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The German energy industry association BDEW said that Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions from power generation decreased 15 per cent in the first half of 2019 compared to the same period last year. This was the result of record renewables output, rising CO2 allowance prices in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme , and mild weather. According to preliminary calculations, emissions fell from 136 million tonnes of CO2 to 116 million tonnes.

BDEW has also announced a new renewables record. Stormy weather boosted wind power production and pushed up the share of renewables in electricity generation to 44 per cent in the first half of 2019. It is also reported that lignite power stations produced 21 per cent less in the first six months of 2019 than in the same period last year. Bruno Burger, professor at Fraunhoffer ISE, said: “Rising costs for ETS CO2 allowances combined with falling prices at electricity exchange make lignite increasingly unprofitable.”

The German Government plans to raise the share of renewables to 65 per cent b 2030 as part of its Energiewende drive to replace fossil and nuclear power generation.