The German Energy Transition – Issues and Perspectives

The term “Energiewende” has become a widely used and recognized way to describe the energy transformation currently underway within Germany. Following the disaster at Fukushima in 2011 that resulted from the destructive tsunami that hit Japan, many in Germany–especially those in power–began to worry about the use of nuclear power within the country and pushed for an immediate plan to phase out all nuclear reactors in Germany by 2022. However, their actions did not end there. Instead, the plan would become one of the most ambitious energy transformation agendas in the industrialized world, with Germany seeking to replace the lost capacity with renewable sources.

This extensive report by Jan Keil outlines the energy transition taking place in Germany, with a particular focus on the cost issues and technical problems associated with such a major system-wide change. Mr. Keil also proposes a set of policy recommendations that could assist with this major reform through lower costs and smoother technical transitions.

The German Energy Transition — Issues and Perspectives, by Jan Keil

Jan Keil is a PhD candidate in economics at the New School University in New York. He holds an MA degree in economics from the New School and an MA equivalent degree in political science from the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University in Frankfurt, Germany. He has worked in internships for Deutsche Bank Research at the Deutsche Bank headquarters and as a research assistant at the Schwarz Center for Economic Policy Analysis in New York. His research interests are empirical and lie in the areas of industrial economics, competition and energy economics.

The opinions outlined in this essay are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of AGI, its staff or participants.