100% renewable electricity supply by 2050

The Chair of the German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU), Prof. Dr Faulstich, today presented Federal Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen with the special report "Pathways towards a 100% renewable electricity system (Wege zur 100% erneuerbaren Stromversorgung)." The study comes to the conclusion that a 100% renewable electricity supply is possible in Germany by 2050. Environment Minister Röttgen commented: "This special report is an important contribution to the discussion on sustainable energy and environmental policy. With its Energy Concept, the German government has already set a very ambitious expansion target: we want to achieve an 80% share of renewable energies in electricity supply by 2050. The SRU report shows that this is feasible."

The report shows various scenarios illustrating how a 100% renewable electricity supply in Germany can be achieved. The main scenarios analysed are a purely national expansion strategy, collaboration with Denmark and Norway and a European solution incorporating North Africa. In addition to the significant expansion of renewable energies, increased energy efficiency and the expansion of grid and storage capacities are crucial to the successful implementation of the development illustrated in the scenarios.

Federal Environment Minister Röttgen continued: "The SRU report identifies the necessary increase in energy efficiency and the expansion of the infrastructure as the key challenges on the road to the age of renewables. In its Energy Concept the German government has already adopted comprehensive measures on this. For example, in the framework of the 10-point immediate action programme, provisions for nationwide grid expansion, a €5 billion credit programme for offshore wind energy and the exemption of new storage power plants from grid charges will be implemented by the end of this year."

The German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU) is a scientifically independent advisory body to the German government. As well as the main report produced every four years, the SRU also draws up special reports on individual issues and provides topical opinions and statements on environmental policy.