Political goals and strategies of the German Federal Government

With a proportion of only three percent of worldwide CO2 emissions, reducing consumption and emissions in Germany can only play a subordinate role in the general reduction of environmental pollution. Nevertheless, it is very important for a highly technical industrial nation such as Germany to be a forerunner when it comes to climate protection and sustainability. Not least because it will translate into additional opportunities for the success of the German economy in international markets.

Most European countries have already taken individual measures to encourage energy efficiency and the substitution of fossil fuels through renewables.

Integrated energy and climate programme of the Federal Government

As part of the national energy summit, concepts for greater security of supply, climate protection, energy efficiency and cost stability were developed. The "Integrated energy and climate programme" of the Federal Government is supported by the aforementioned and by the translation of the EU twin strategy to increase energy efficiency and substitute fossil fuels with renewable fuels. Its goals for 2020 are:

• 20 percent energy savings
• 20 percent renewables
• 40 percent CO2 reduction, relative to 1990

In line with this, numerous statutes were revised and newly developed, for example the Renewable Energies Act, the Renewable Energies Heat Act, the CHP Act and the Energy Saving Ordinance. The higher ranking energy concept of the Federal Government, ratified in September 2010, explicitly addresses the building sector with its huge potential for energy savings.

Limited potential of renewables

Renewables can make an important contribution to achieving the energy and climate-political aims. However, they cannot do it alone. Fossil fuels account for almost 80 percent of the current energy mix. Until now, renewables have only achieved a comparatively lowly proportion of 10.4 percent, of which biomass accounts for two thirds. All other renewables hardly manage single-digit percentages, relative to total energy consumption.

Efficiency is the most important resource

The theoretical potential of renewables corresponds to roughly 60 percent of the current energy demand at the point of use. In the long run too, therefore, a complete energy change can only be brought about if energy efficiency has been improved by 40 percent beforehand (Fig. 7). 

In other words, oil and gas will retain their significance as the major energy sources for the foreseeable future. Increasing efficiency in the use of oil and gas offers the best potential for achieving an efficient and climate-friendly energy provision in the immediate future. One prerequisite for this is the energetic modernisation of existing buildings with highly efficient condensing technology, biomass boilers and small CHP system, as well as the integration of solar thermal systems.

Figure 7	Figure 8

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