Thread by @P_Graichen

11 March 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the #Fukushima nuclear accident. Due to Fukushima, Germany reinstated in 2011 the nuclear phase-out decided in 2000, after a short 10-month-period of abandoning it - and the #Energiewende became political consensus. A thread on FAQs: /1

To start: Where do we currently stand in the #nuclear phase-out in DE? Since 2000, 13 nuclear power plants have been shut down, 11 of which since 2011. Six more will follow by the end of 2022. So far, we have achieved a good half of the nuclear phase-out. /2

Now to the FAQs:
(1) How has the share of nuclear power changed since 2011? The share of #nuclear power in the #electricity mix in DE has halved from 22% (2010) to 11% (2020), while the share of #renewables has more than doubled from 17% (2010) to a full 45% (2020). /3

(2) Did the nuclear phase-out create an electricity shortfall, as was often feared in 2011?
No, #renewables compensated for the loss of nuclear power by about double. In 2020, #gas power production is at the same level as in 2010, while #coal declined even more than nuclear. /4

(3) How does the nuclear phase-out look over time?
So far it's been going very smoothly, nuclear electricity has fallen by around 80 TWh since 2010. But there is still a big step ahead: by the end of 2022, another 64 TWh will be gone. /5

(4) Has the nuclear phase-out caused CO2 emissions to rise?
No, but between 2011 and 2015 power sector emissions hardly fell. Only since then CO2 emissions have they been declining because of rising renewables and higher CO2 prices in the EU ETS. /6

Would we have seen more CO2 reduction if the lifetime extension of nuclear had remained? Unclear, as RES expansion in Germany was politically closely linked to nuclear phase-out. Presumably, RES installations would have collapsed earlier and there would have not been +150 TWh. /7

(5) Did Germany need to import (nuclear) electricity, e.g. from France?
On the contrary, after 2011 Germany became an electricity exporting country! (Main reason: German coal power exports.) Since 2018, net exports have been falling again, due to higher CO2 prices in the EU ETS.

(6) Has security of electricity supply suffered due to the nuclear phase-out?
A fear often voiced in 2011 - answer: definitely no. Power outage times in Germany are very low by international standards and have fallen even further since 2011. /9

(7) Did power prices rise as a result of the nuclear phase-out?
Again no, wholesale power prices in Germany have been declining since 2011. Germany regularly has the lowest electricity prices in Europe after the Scandinavian countries, almost always lower than France. /10

However, with regard to power prices for private households it is true: Yes, Germany has the highest in Europe and they rose sharply, especially until 2013. However, the reason was the RES surcharge, not the nuclear phase-out. Here, we need to act and reduce power costs! /11

(8) Does the nuclear phase-out mean more grid expansion?
Unconvienient truth: yes. Because the nuclear will be largely replaced by wind power that has to be transported from the north to the south. You can't supply Southern Germany with PV alone. There is still work to be done..

(9) How will the remaining nuclear phase-out in 2021/2022 be compensated? In order for renewables to be able to cover the 60 TWh of nuclear power that will soon be gone, new installations of wind and solar need to accelerate quickly! /13

(10) Last, but not least: Will there be a renaissance of #nuclear power? No way. New nuclear is by far the most expensive technology for #electricity generation, and #SMRs are a far-away dream. #Wind and #solar are so much cheaper, and costs continue to fall. /14

For more information: This thread is available in more detail as a set of slides for download on our website (/end). agora-energiewende.de/en/press/news-…