The following is a translation of a press release from the German Ministry of the Environment. The full report can be found at the link below.
In a report on the “energy balance of renewable energy sources”, the Umweltbundesamt (The Federal Environment Agency) arrives at the conclusion that due to the deployment of renewable energy sources the emission of 106 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) had been avoided in 2007. The report establishes an up-to-date basis for the energy balance of renewable energy sources, methodically and with regard to contents.
The extension of renewable energies has been successful during the past ten years. In 2007, these energy sources covered just under ten percent of the total final energy consumption. This corresponds to a triplication of the share in comparison to 1997.
The net emission balance [according to the new standard of calculation] is comprised of the reduced amount of emissions on the one hand, and of newly emerging emissions – of preceding processes, such as transportation and production of wind turbines – on the other hand.
As a result, the recalculation of the net emission balance of renewable energy sources leads to 67 million tons of carbon avoided in the electricity sector, 28 million tons of carbon avoided in the heat sector, and 11 million tons of carbon avoided in the transportation sector. All in all, this results in an avoidance of about 106 million tons of carbon in 2007.
In an amplified contemplation by the greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide, the net emission balance of renewable energy sources – in consideration of preceding process steps – features an emission avoidance of about 107 million tons of carbon equivalents in 2007. In the electricity sector alone, this corresponds to 71 million tons of carbon equivalents avoided. The heat and transportation sector adds another 29 million tons and respectively 7 million tons of carbon equivalents, which have been avoided.
See Emission balance of renewable energy sources in Germany (in German)
