The Road To Germany -- Wind Energy Is Collapsing In Germany

Updates

October 19, 2019: another source, Forbes, May 2, 2019.  

Original Post

 

Anyone paying attention knows that "wind energy in Germany" is collapsing. We've followed that story for many, many years on the blog. We even devoted a "Road-To-Germany" tag just for this reason.

This is very, very interesting -- I did not see this coming. As bad as things were with regard to wind energy in Germany, I was not aware of how bad it really will become. Remember: Germany shut down a lot of alternative energy sources (e.g., coal) betting the farm, as they say, on wind. 

Now from Powerline:

The article continues:

In fact, “when in 2021 thousands of wind turbines come to the end of the 20-year subsidy period of the Renewable Energy Act, more wind turbines will be demolished on balance than new ones will be added, the wind industry fears.” It couldn’t happen to a more deserving industry.

Unlike in the past too low subsidies for wind power is not the cause this time. “It’s not about the money,” said Albers. “Too low subsidies” is an oxymoron. But here is the new twist:

The most important cause lies in the legal resistance of wildlife and forest conservationists fighting new wind farms. The BWE President referred to an industry survey of the onshore wind agency. According to its findings, more than 70 percent of the legal objections are based on species conservation, especially the threat to endangered bird species and bats.

The conservationists have a point. One of the worst features of both wind and solar energy is that they are terrible for the environment. They use up an enormous amount of land that otherwise would be available for agriculture, development or recreation. They are eyesores. And they kill huge quantities of wildlife.