The introduction of the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG) on April 1, 2000, marked the start of renewable energy expansion in Germany. The law has two fundamental principles: Firstly, power from renewable sources is given grid priority over conventional power. Secondly, the feed-in tariffs (FiT) determined by the legislator for the supply of renewable energies establishes investment security for market actors such as biogas technology provider Weltec Biopower GmbH that was founded in 2001.
According to Weltec Biopower, the developments of the past 20 years confirm the success of the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG). Since the law went into force two decades ago, the share of renewable energies in the gross power consumption in Germany has continually increased, from 6.2 percent in 2000 to 42.1 percent in 2019.
In mid-January 2020, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) pegged the share of renewables in the net electricity generation, that is, the amount coming from the power socket rose from 40.6 percent in 2018 to 46 percent in 2019, and surpassed the share from fossil fuels (40 percent) for the first time ever.
In Germany, renewable 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. 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, emphasized Jens Albartus, Director of the German biogas plant manufacturer Weltec Biopower GmbH.
The Bundesverband der Energie- und Wasserwirtschaft e. V (BDEW) “Energy Market Germany 2019″ report says that a total of 33 TWh (33 billion kWh) of electricity was generated in 2018 from biogas and biomethane (upgraded biogas, aka green gas or renewable natural gas – RNG) mostly from around 9 200 plants in Germany with direct electricity generation.
The electricity produced in this way supplied almost 5.5 percent of gross electricity consumption.
EEG fosters innovation
Jens Albartus credits the EEG for being a driver of innovation behind the global expansion of renewable energies, in which German companies play a key role. Since its founding back in 2001, Weltec has progressed from being a pioneer in the biogas industry to a key actor in the energy reform “Energiewende”.
With its sustainable technologies and basic values, the biogas specialist is successful around the globe and makes an important contribution to environmental protection. Weltec’s success is evident from its exports, which are, it says, 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 EUR 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 subsidization will end in the coming years, said Jens Albartus.
Biomethane enables flexibility
The effort, Albartus says, “is surely worth it”, as biogas does not depend on wind and sunshine and therefore constitutes a key pillar in the renewable energy mix. Biomethane is renewable, storable and versatile.
As of December 2018, BDEW estimated that there were around 213 biomethane plants in Germany, with an annual capacity of around 1 169 million Nm³, injecting biomethane into the natural gas grid. The injected volume of 935 million m³ (around 10 billion kWh – 10 TWh) equates to just over one percent of German natural gas consumption. More plants are currently under construction or at the planning stage.
Moreover, biomethane serves as an important, carbon-neutral and sustainable transportation fuel. To engage in research that culminates in innovations that also benefit the development of international projects, we need a strong German market, explained Jens Albartus.
Together, biogas and biomethane provided around 16.7 TWh (16.7 billion kWh) of heating and cooling in 2018 whereas natural gas vehicles (NGVs) consumed 0.5 billion kWh of biomethane.
