Energy in Germany

The energy sector in Germany is one of the biggest in the world.

The German economy is large and developed, ranking fifth in the world by GDP (PPP). Because of this, Germany consumed the fifth most energy per capita in the world in 2004. [ [http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Germany/Background.html Germany Energy Data, Statistics and Analysis - Oil, Gas, Electricity, Coal ] ]

In 2002, Germany was Europe's largest consumer of electricity; electricity consumption that year totaled 512.9 billion kilowatt-hours.

Energy Policy

Government policy emphasizes conservation and the development of renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, biomass, hydro, and geothermal. As a result of energy-saving measures, energy efficiency (the amount of energy required to produce a unit of gross domestic product) has been improving since the beginning of the 1970s. The government has set the goal of meeting half the country's energy demands from renewable sources by 2050. Germany is the fourth-largest producer of nuclear power in the world, but in 2000 the government and the German nuclear power industry agreed to phase out all nuclear power plants by 2021. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4295389.stm Germany split over green energy] , BBC, Accessed April 13, 2007] However, renewable energy is playing a more modest role in energy consumption.

Consumption

Germany is one of the world's largest energy consumers. Because the country has limited domestic energy resources (except for coal), Germany imports most of its energy. In 2006 energy consumption was met by the following sources: oil (35.7%) , coal, including lignite (23.9%) , natural gas (22.8%) , nuclear (12.6%) , hydro and wind power (1.3%) , and other (3.7%).

Germany is the fifth-largest oil consumer in the world. The largest source of German oil imports is Russia, followed by Norway and the United Kingdom. [ [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=GM Energy Information Administration] , Accessed June 25, 2008]

Germany is the third-largest consumer of natural gas in the world. Due to its central location in Europe, Germany is a major natural gas pipeline transit hub for imports from Russia and the North Sea.

Germany is the fourth-largest consumer of coal in the world. Germany has Europe’s largest electricity market.

Production

Germany is the world’s largest operators of non-hydro renewables capacity in the world, including the world’s largest operator of wind generation.

ee also

*Energy in present-day nations and states
*Renewable energy in Germany

References

External links

* [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=GM Germany Energy Profile] from the Energy Information Administration
* [http://www.iea.org/textbase/stats/electricitydata.asp?COUNTRY_CODE=DE International Energy Agency: Electricity/Heat in Germany in 2005]