Debunking FIT Myths

As noted elsewhere, there are a number of myths about Feed-in Tariffs (FITs), many proffered by the opponents of renewable energy–and some argued by environmentalists influenced neoliberal economic theory. Many talented authors have tackled these myths in explaining why FITs work so well and why FITs are more equitable than other renewable energy policies.

Renewables International: “A spectacular fail by command economists”

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Craig Morris

In English, the current German energy policy debate sounds like no one likes the Energiewende. The Social Democrats and the Greens, who first implemented the Renewable Energy Act, don’t like what Angela Merkel’s center-right coalition plans, and her government now manages a policy they once opposed, so top government officials now have trouble expressing their support for their opposition’s baby.

The Local: Nuclear power will ‘never return’ to Germany

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German Environment Minister Peter Altmaier said on Friday his country would never return to nuclear energy, hitting back at a top EU official who doubted Berlin’s commitment to phase out nuclear power. . .

Dave Toke: British increase in coal generation is much bigger than Germany’s

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David Toke

The latest energy statistics suggests that Germany is doing much better in restraining coal used to generate electricity compared to the UK. Yet, to read the British press you would automatically assume that the exact opposite was true and that coal use was increasing dramatically in Germany compared to the UK – All, allegedly, because of the German policy of switching away from nuclear power and towards renewable energy and energy efficiency. . .

Boell: The German Energy Transition–Arguments for a renewable energy future

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Over the past decade, Germany has successfully boosted renewable energy resources which today power 25% of all electricity demand. . . “The Energiewende is a bottom up switch that is driven by citizens across the country.”. . “By now, the Germans have developed a can-do attitude,” says Craig Morris, one of the lead authors of the website. Morris, a Freiburg-based American journalist and translator, points out: “Over the last two decades, renewables matured much more quickly, become more reliable and much cheaper than expected.” That is why most Germans are confident about the transition. “They perceive technical challenges like grid instability not as problem, but as a task,” says Morris. . .

Renewables International: Warnings about possible power outages in Germany overstated

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Craig Morris

An article today in German weekly Die Zeit reveals how completely overblown the likelihood is of power outages resulting from the country’s Energiewende. . .

German Coal-Fired Generation of Electricity Falls While Renewable Generation Rises

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Paul Gipe

Debunking Another Myth about Germany’s Electricity Revolution–Solar Energy Now Rivals Hydro Generation–Renewable Generation Now Exceeds Generation from Hard Coal . . .