Climate: Record power export raises CO2 emissions

In an interview with the FAZ newspaper, Federal Minister for the Environment Peter Altmaier has expressed concern regarding the provisional greenhouse gas figures, which indicated that in 2012 emissions harmful to the climate rose again for the first time in years. The reason for the increased CO2 in Germany is not, however, the abandonment of nuclear energy, but, in the opinion of the IWR, the record power exports to other countries and the greater use of lignite for electricity generation. The CO2 emissions in Germany rose in 2012 by about 1.6 percent, representing an increase of approx. 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
According to figures published by the Federal Ministry of Economics, the power export surplus in 2012, in comparison to 2011, increased by about 17 billion to a total of 23 billion kilowatt hours (billion kWh) and is thus greater than ever before. The increase in the power export surplus can primarily be attributed to higher electricity production from lignite, which, in turn, is responsible for the increase in climate-damaging greenhouse gases in Germany.
To the IWR press release Was Altmaier nicht sagt: Rekord-Stromexport treibt deutschen CO2-Ausstoß

Released on: 2013-02-20