Renewable energy law proves 20 years success

Since the introduction of the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG), the share of renewable energy in gross power consumption in Germany has continually increased from 6.2% in 2000 to 42.1% in 2019.

Accordingly, 244-billion kilowatt-hours are generated from solar energy, wind, water and biomass. Bioenergy accounts for 11% of this figure. In the field of heat generation, renewable energy accounts for a share of 39%, some 34% of which is based on bioenergy.

“In Germany, regenerative energies are the number one power source and the whole world has come to view the EEG as an effective instrument for the systematic, publicly approved expansion,” says German biogas plan manufacturer Weltec Biopower director Jens Albartus.

“Moreover, the law and its adaptations to new market conditions have constantly brought about new technologies that have become an indispensable element of many profitable energy plants.”

Innovation, in particular, is the driver of the global expansion of renewable energy, in which German companies play a key role. Since it was founded back in 2001, Weltec advanced from a pioneer in the biogas industry to a key factor in the energy reform.

With its sustainable technologies and basic values, the biogas specialist is successful around the globe and makes an important contribution to environmental protection.

Additionally, the company‘s success is evident from its exports, which are above the industry average. Over the years, the company has planned and set up more than 300 plants in 25 countries on five continents. Moreover, Weltec has invested more than €100-million in its own biogas plants throughout Germany.

“To perpetuate the success story and secure jobs in this industry, we must now increasingly turn our attention to the existing anaerobic digestion plants in Germany and urgently find smart follow-up solutions, especially for those whose 20-year EEG subsidisation will end in the coming years,” notes Albartus.

To engage in research that culminates in innovations that also benefit the development of international projects, there is a need for a strong German market, he concludes, adding that biomethane – that is refined biogas – serves as an important, carbon-neutral and sustainable fuel.