lutz ribbe societal benefits of renewables 4/12
TRANSCRIPT
Changing the future of Changing the future of energy: civil society as a energy: civil society as a
main player in renewable main player in renewable energy generationenergy generation
EESC Study
Presentation at the REN 21 event“Societal Benefits of Renewables”
Dec 4, 2015
Lutz RibbeEESC Sustainable Development Observatory
Main findings (1)
1.Local acceptance/ local opposition of renewable energy infrastructure, depending on the involvement2.Stakeholder want to make use of their local resources, such a wind, solar and biomass …3.… “we will not allow to steel our wind”4.technology exist – and becomes cheaper and cheaper
civic energy – a rather new phenomena and movement
What is needed to promote civic energy?
1.Favourable policy frameworks for civic energy 2.Simple administrative procedures 3.Effective support mechanisms // level playing field4.Grid development and management5.Participatory and transparent policy dialogue
Political willingness
What is needed to promote civic energy?
1.Favourable policy frameworks for civic energy 2.Simple administrative procedures 3.Effective support mechanisms // level playing field4.Grid development and management5.Participatory and transparent policy dialogue
3. Effective support mechanisms
•Feed-in priority for electricity from renewable sources.•Feed-in tariffs should be the main form of support for civic renewable energy. •Net-metering for civic power production.
•Tenders and auctions can put a disproportionate burden, or even exclude small energy producers.
Why do we have to support renewables?
5 300 000 000 000 $/ year
14 500 000 000 $/ day
604 000 000 $/ hour
Any discussion at the COP 21 on that?
100 Mrd $ climate fund = the money spend
each and every week on energy subsidies
is civic energy possible
- or just a nice (?) idea?
Germany: Electricity capacity 2014 (in MW)
• Photovoltaik 38.124• Wind 35.678• hard coal 27.853• gas 28.439• lignit/ brown coal 21.206• nuclear 12.068• biomas 8.153• hydro power 5.619
… … • Total 177.140
(renewables 87.574)
Ownership distribution of installed renewable electricity generation capacity in Germany (2012).
Source: Blog "German Energy Transition"
An example: the German Energiewende:
In 2014:•More than 30% of electricity from (3% in 1990) renewable sources.•More than 1000 energy cooperatives.•More than 50 % of the currently installed capacity (73 GW) are civic energy installations.
Active energy cooperatives, 30.06.2011
Active energy cooperatives, 31.12.2011
Source: Klaus Novy Institut e.V. 2012, study on behalf of the BMU
The number of energy cooperatives in
Germany has risen sharply –
from 101 in 2007 to 586 in 2011, around
1.000 in 2014
Legend
Bottom-up approach – cooperatives owning Renewebales
Main findings (2)
•Civic energy is possible! •the advantages mentioned (jobs, regional business and development …) can become reality•needed: the right frame•Germany: the “renewable energy act” (the “EEG”) was not set in place to promote civic energy, but made it possible …•… offered “windows of opportunities” •But politicians start to close them
Main findings (3)
•Civil society is interested and ready to be a major driver of the energy transition …•… contributing with human resources, funds and creativity;•Shared local socio-economic benefits and incomes that stay within the communities;
Climate protection, regional development/ business, job creation
Main findings (4)
•Highly motivated civil society in all of the visited countries, aware of the opportunities for local socio-economic development offered by renewable energy.•Frustrations with bureaucratic hurdles and with the non-recognition of civic energy by policy makers, and fears about current policy reforms.•No consistently implemented, targeted policy support for civic renewable energy at any level •Allow civil society to act!
political willingness?
… towards a new energy policy!
Changing the future of energy: civil society as a main player in renewable energy generation
EESC Study
EESC Sustainable Development [email protected] [email protected]
http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.sdo-observatory-red
Report publication:Report publication:January 2015January 2015
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