Evidence from a recent study suggests that renewable energy supply in Germany is growing faster than expected. According to preliminary estimates by the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry,[1] electricity from renewable sources exceeded 20% of total demand for the first time during the first six months in 2011, compared with 18 % in the first half of 2010.[2] With a share of 5.6 %, biomass follows wind power as the most important renewable energy source in the German market.
Biomass is derived from special bioenergy crops which go through a fermentation process before being conditioned to gas with a high methane proportion (CH4). The resulting biogas, or Green Gas, is then injected into the national grid and delivered to consumers. Indeed, through sharing many of the same infrastructure facilities and installations as traditional natural gas, Green Gas is cheaper to roll-out than other renewable energy sources. Another advantage of biomass is that once converted to Green Gas it can be used in the same flexible way as natural gas for power generation, heat and fuel.
Source: Baringa 2011
In Germany, biomass continues its rise to prominence with volumes of the decentralised injected Green Gas growing from 9 Mio m³/year in 2006 to more than 240 Mio m³/year by 2010. At the end of 2010, 66 biogas plants injected Green Gas into the national grid. This represents a significant step towards the ambitious target set by the German government to supply 6 billion Nm³ (standard cubic metre) Green Gas by 2020. This means that, referring to the installed capacity at the end of 2010, in the next 10 years, about 120 biogas plants will need to be built every year. So, Green Gas is increasingly playing a critical role in helping Germany achieve its target of a 35% renewable energy share by 2020[3].
Source: BDEW 2011
Posted by Dr. Susann Funke on the 21st of November 2011
[1] Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft, BDEW
[2] http://www.bdew.de/internet.nsf/id/DE_20110829-PI-Erneuerbare-liefern-mehr-als-20-Prozent-des-Stroms
[3] Article 1 para. 2 of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz 2012, EEG 2012)
