Solar energy and global warming

This is a guest post by Andrew McKillop. Andrew has held posts in national, international and European Commission energy, and energy policy divisions and agencies. An extended bio is given at the end of the post.

Mutter and Stutter

Germany’s Angela Merkel, nicknamed the Mutter for “Mother” of a successful Germany who got herself re-elected, is said by Berlin daily ‘TAZ’ to have already decided she will not attend the Ban Ki-Moon-initiated UN climate conference in New York this September. The paper says this was “confirmed by a government spokesman“. If so, Merkel’s decision to snub the event is likely another sign that efforts to implement present climate agreements, and forge new ones are already dead in the water. Germany EEG or renewable energy law (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz) is another very likely collateral victim.
The EEG law is the pillar of all downstream financing of Germany’s now troubled renewable energy industry. According to recent figures (May 26) from the German Government, gross employment in renewable energy decreased from its probably historic peak of about 375 000 in 2012, to about 360, 000 in 2013. This was “only” a 7% decrease in one year but hides dramatic declines, even a collapse in specific renewable energy equipment producers and service providers.

The Federal ministry for Economic affairs and Energy’s statistics show that the solar PV industry’s workforce numbers in Germany fell by 50% from 100, 300 people in 2012 to 56, 000 in 2013.

• Role of CO2 in global warming
• American global warming
• Reasons to stop global warming
• Stopping global warming