German solar energy industry reaches new milestone over the weekend

German solar energy industry reaches new milestone over the weekend

May 29, 2012 0 By Erin Kilgore

Solar energy showing significant growth in Germany

Germany has emerged as a pioneer in terms of solar energy recently. The nation has been throwing its support behind alternative energy for some time, with a particular interest in solar power. The country garnered acclaim for the innovative solar energy subsidies that were introduced by the government that encouraged the adoption of the alternative energy amongst the country’s homeowners. In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, Germany abandoned its nuclear energy endeavors in favor of safer options. Now, the country has reached a milestone in its use of solar energy.

Half of country’s energy demands met thanks to alternative energy

Germany’s Renewable Energy Industry (IWR) announced that over the weekend the country’s solar energy infrastructure met approximately 50% of the country’s energy demand. The IWR notes that more than 22 gigawatts of solar energy per hour was generated by the country’s various alternative energy systems and fed into the energy grid. This is comparable to the energy generated by 20 nuclear power plants operating at full capacity. This marks a new record for Germany and sets the bar higher for the global solar energy industry.

Governments highlights the viability of solar energy

Government officials claim that this milestone is proof of the viability of solar energy. The fact that the country was able to meet half of its energy needs through the use of solar power during the weekend is being considered a major accomplishment. The German solar energy industry continues to break records and show that alternative energy should be taken more seriously by developed countries.

Government to continue supporting solar energy industry

By the year 2022, Germany expects to have shut down its remaining 9 nuclear power plants. The lack of these nuclear power facilities will create a gap in the country’s energy infrastructure, which is expected to be filled by solar energy systems. Though the German government recently scaled back its efforts to promote residential solar energy, it still has plans to support the growth of the industry as a whole.

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