Part 2: Inside Germany’s Race for Renewables

06/28/23 • 34 min

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This is the second episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If you haven’t listened to the first episode, we recommend you start there.

Germany has grown its wind and solar sectors dramatically over the past 20 years. And yet, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy crisis, Germany fired up idle coal plants and began importing natural gas from around the world.

So why couldn’t renewables in Germany—and in Europe more broadly—meet the energy gap in this time of need?

In this episode, we cover the origin story of Germany’s renewables boom—including a nuclear disaster and an anti-nuclear political movement. Then, we examine the implications of the shutdown of nuclear power and the rise of renewables for the power sector.

We look at the long-ignored part of German energy—gas heating—and how electrification could help Germany make better use of its strong wind and solar industries.

And finally, we discuss the role of hydrogen, batteries, and other low-carbon technologies in balancing renewables on the grid.

So why couldn’t renewables in Germany—and in Europe more broadly—meet the energy gap in this time of need?

We look at the long-ignored part of German energy—gas heating—and how electrification could help Germany make better use of its strong wind and solar industries.

And finally, we discuss the role of hydrogen, batteries, and other low-carbon technologies in balancing renewables on the grid.

Previous Episode

Part 1: An Energy Crisis in the Making

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Putin’s assault on Ukraine triggered an energy crisis that sent Europe’s economies into a tailspin and put the European energy transition to the test. But how did the European Union, a leader in climate action, become so dependent on Russian oil and gas to begin with?

This season, we look at the energy systems of Germany and Poland. Both have very different energy systems, but both became dependent on Russian energy for heating homes, firing power plants, and fueling businesses.

In this episode, we look at the immediate impact of the Ukraine invasion on that dependency and the historical influences behind it – from Germany’s pursuit of natural gas to Poland’s centuries -long relationship with coal.

Then we ask whether Europe's initial response to the crisis– leaning more heavily on fossil fuels – will accelerate or slow down the region's push toward green energy.

Next Episode

Part 3: Poland’s Coal Legacy and Nuclear Future

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This is the third episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If you haven’t listened to the first two episodes, we recommend you start there.

Even with a plan to phase down fossil fuel use, Poland still gets 70% of its electricity from coal. Can a country so dependent on coal make the transition to green energy effectively—and quickly?

In this episode, we explore the consequences of Poland’s historical reliance on coal. It's a story that begins at COP24 in Poland, where a coal miners marching band welcomed climate negotiators from around the world in 2018. From there, we visit a historical coal mining town in southwestern Poland, where we meet a man who digs for coal to sell on the black market in the wake of the Ukraine invasion.

Then, we take a look at the energy source that could help Poland cut the cord with coal: nuclear power. In an effort to gain energy security and reduce emissions, Poland is building its first reactors. But with Russia controlling much of the nuclear supply chain, is Poland trading one dependency for another?