Title

Special seminar -- The Challenges of Germany's Energiewende (Note to students -- This special seminar does not count toward the six mandatory seminars for the TTP 281 course.)

Time

1:30PM to 3:00PM

Location

Room 113, The Barn [Enter building on North end. Access to Large Conference Room
through kitchen.]

Abstract

Since 2011, Germany’s Energiewende has been a major national policy guiding the federal
as well as state governments. The envisioned transition of Germany’s energy system is
three-fold: 1) Germany completely phases out nuclear power by 2022; 2) the country
increases the share of renewables to 35% of electricity production by 2020; and 3)
Germany increases energy efficiency by 20% (relative to 2008) during the same time. The
national and local commitments to the Energiewende were made in 2011, in the aftermath
of the melt-down of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan. German policy-makers
are now facing the challenge of implementing these commitments while facing questions from their
constituents, from industry, from lobbying groups, as well as from international partners. How can the
ambitious goals of the Energiewende be achieved and what are the likely effects of the envisioned
transformation? What are the implications for European and international partners? The talk gives an overview
of German and EU energy policy, discusses future challenges and outlines the public debate on the
Energiewende.