Germany Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Germany Energy - Essay Example Therefore, as countries strive to meet the growing energy demands, they have to put measures of reducing carbon emissions as well. This paper discusses the major issues associated with electricity supplies to meet the demand and low carbon emissions in Germany. Generation and consumption of electricity in Germany has been increasing in the past decade and the trend is expected to continue in future. Electricity in the country is mainly generated from coal and nuclear energy (Keller & Gert). However, utilization of renewable energy and natural gas has been increasing significantly in the last two decades. Brunekreeft (2002) noted that electricity generated from renewable sources has increased by approximately three times in the last twenty years. Thermal power plants account the largest source of electricity in the country. These plants make extensive use of coal, which contributes significantly to environmental degradation by emitting greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. From the table (2) above, it is apparent that heavy reliance on coal and methane in production of electricity contributes to the high levels of carbon emissions in Germany. According to Low Carbon Societies Network (2004), the per capital emission in (t CO2) in Germany was 9.7 in 2007 compared with France which had 5.8 during the same period. Nuclear is the second most important source of electricity in the country and its contribution has been declining gradually since 1998, when the German government introduced the nuclear phase out policy. However, unlike coal, nuclear does not contribute significant amounts of carbon emissions. Electrical consumption in Germany varies across the different sectors, with the industrial sector consuming the largest proportion of the energy. Industries consume the largest proportion of electricity, due to presence