THE GERMAN "ENERGIEWENDE" (ENERGY TRANSITION) AND WHY CLEAN, RENEWABLE ENERGY, WITHOUT NUCLEAR POWER, IS A GOOD MODEL FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND SURROUNDING REGION.
BRIEF OVERVIEW/HIGHLIGHTS:
On February 5th,at our monthly networking meeting, the DC Environmental Network hosted an important discussion designed to highlight a powerful and successful effort in Germany, the Energiewende (energy transition), to generate 80% of electricity from clean, renewable sources by mid-century, and doing so while shutting down ALL of its nuclear power plants by 2022. This positive vision was presented as a possible alternative to the business model the nuclear energy utility, Exelon, is currently proposing for the District, Maryland and Delaware, in its bid to merge with Pepco.
Our panelists were PAUL WALKER OF GREEN CROSS INTERNATIONAL and BASTIAN HERMISSON OF THE HEINRICH B"oLL FOUNDATION NORTH AMERICA. The discussion was moderated by Chris Weiss of the DC Environmental Network.
The 47 PARTICIPANTS included representatives from (partial) the Heinrich B"oll Foundation, Global Green USA, Green Cross International, Friends of the Earth, Hispanic Access Foundation, Sierra Club, George Washington University, University of the District of Columbia, DC Statehood Green Party, Stanton Development, Scrap DC, Power DC, Natural Resources Defense Council, Georgetown University, District Department of the Environment, Young Voices for Climate Change, NetZero, Clean Grid Advisors, U.S. Postal Service (Office of Sustainability), American Association for the Advancement of Science, DC Smart Schools, Global Bees, National Research Defense Council, Climate Justice Support Group, DC Public Banking Center, Power Up Montgomery and staff of the DC Environmental Network.
Presentation Resources:
- PowerPoint Presentation of Bastian Hermisson, Heinrich B"oll Foundation North America.
- Talking Points of Paul F. Walker, Green Cross International & Exelon Nuclear Reactor Summary
- #1: Paul Walker Presentation Germany's plan to shut down all of their reactors by 2022; Germany's plan to switch from coal and nuclear to renewables; how power generation from fossil fuels is at a historic low; how renewables strengthen Germany's energy security; how renewables help make economies healthy; showed it is possible to increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and decrease GHG emissions at the same time; demonstrated how renewables can create more jobs than conventional energy; shared how Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) work in Germany and grow renewables; explained how the German energy transition is a democratic movement and how energy co-operatives have increased in Germany; and presented how renewables have broad support in Germany.
- Bastian explained how grid reliability and renewable growth go hand in hand; Renewables are not the main driver for high power prices; and how renewables need flexible backup, not baseload.
- John Capozzi had the last word with another pitch about making sure everyone sends testimony to the Public Service Commission in opposition to the Exelon/Pepco merger. Go to PowerDC.org for more information!
The next DCEN networking event will be on March 5th at NOON!
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