Germany's Energiewende
1. Developers of renewable energy projects would receive a guarantee, called a "feed-in tariff", that they could sell their electricity to the grid for 20 years at a set price high enough to virtually guarantee a profit for them. To finance this, the government set up a system of monthly surcharges on utility bills. This is what drove an impending surge in clean energy projects, jobs, and income. 2. The feed-in tariff encouraged local projects without requiring them, and gave local governments and residents a role to play. However, the government saw the policy as unsustainable because there were no caps on projects and few limits on where projects could be built within the grid. I think it did succeed in involving citizens and that it was worth it until the change. 3. By 2014, some changes had been made to the policy. Now instead of it being open to almost everyone, groups that wanted to create renewable energy projects and sell the power to the grid needed to compete in auctions to see who could offer the lowest price.
I was wondering if something like this could be implemented in a third world country. The cost of solar energy is currently very high in many countries, however, if the governments could loan out solar panels and give the people a chance to pay back, the people can start earning some income by selling electricity to the national grid.
The “feed-in tariff” is a crucial point under the 2000 Renewable Energy Act that guarantees developers of renewable energy projects to “sell their electricity to the grid for 20 years at a set price high enough to virtually guarantee a profit for the developer” (Gearino, 2020). This act was financed by “monthly surcharges on utility bills," which were set up by the government (Gearino, 2020). The advantages from FIT would go to the citizens as it “drove an impending surge in clean energy projects, jobs, and income” (Gearino, 2020).
I think FIT was worth it as another source of income was established within the communities, which helped lower taxes and use the money for other things like wind turbines.
The majority of FIT's funding comes from a levy on household and small business electricity bills. It is not paid with public funds, and it has no impact on fiscal [government] revenue..
that the German government convened a commission in 2018 to consider how to cut coal use while helping coal communities. And that the result of that was that a legislation was passed that says that all coal-fired power plants must shut down by 2038, and includes up to 40 billion Euros in aid to help coal-producing regions to make the transition.
Even though people might have been losing their jobs in the coal industry jobs were opening up in the solar sector.
the goal was to involve citizens and it definitely accomplished that task.
Bertram said "it wasn't only a reduction in carbon dioxide, but also a second chance for economic development"... which is a great way to look at it because this was indeed a fact i It not only helped them clean the environment but [they profited] and [gained] a better lifestyle
Energy mix?
Go to "ourworldindata.org" and type in electricity, and you'll see options. Narrow the search further to see how Germany has been doing, how the US has been doing.