In a series of articles, Osha explored the political, social, and economic forces that made Germany a renewable energy powerhouse. The focus was on those factors that can help the United States understand how to make the transition from fossil fuels to renewable power. He also looked at the sustainability of Germany’s energy revolution in light of the European debt crisis and the need to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The series appeared in InsideClimate News.

 

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Kari Lydersen

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Kari reported on the physical questions related to whether the US can learn from Germany and other European countries in transitioning from the “old” to “new” energy economy.  In particular, Kari focused her research on the transition of former coal plants or other industrial sites into clean energy generation or public space and on the way in which policy mechanisms, land use changes and initiatives can make such a transition possible. This is an area of growing interest to policymakers in the U.S. as more than 100 older coal-fired power plants nation-wide have closed or announced imminent closing.

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Anastasia Emelianoff

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Anastasia’s research focused on the question of how European climate and energy policies have transformed since the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident. The Climate Media Fellowship took her to Germany, France, Spain and Brussels to witness contrasting energy solutions on national, regional and local levels. While in Germany, Anastasia looked into the increasing role that municipal governments and utilities play in achieving the countries’ energy goals.

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Daphne Wysham

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Daphne reported on the various economic and political factors that have allowed Germany to move away from nuclear power and toward a renewable energy future. She compared and contrasted the German experience with that of Denmark.  She provided stories and commentary on her findings for a variety of radio shows, as well as for print and TV outlets. 

 

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Clean Break: The Story of Germany's Energy Transformation and What Americans Can Learn from It, by Osha Gray Davidson

- December 4, 2012 -  A modern industrial economy, the biggest and most powerful in the European Union, is making a clean break from coal, oil and nuclear energy. It is on track to be running on 80% renewable energy by 2050. Some predict it could even reach 100% by then. The country is Germany, and what is happening there has a name: the Energiewende, or energy transformation. more»

Power and Profits in the Hands of the People

- December 7, 2012 - In September 2012, nine renewable energy policy makers and advocates from across the United States traveled to Germany to witness what amounts to a small town and rural revitalization phenomenon. What they learned broadened their perceptions, set the record straight on several prevalent myths about renewable energy, and spurred new ideas about how to move forward back home.  Diane Moss more»

Sharing Solutions: Transatlantic Cooperation for a Low-Carbon Economy

- September 19, 2011 - In this latest report of the Climate Network, policy-makers, civil society actors and local stakeholders in both the US and Europe address how to enhance renewable energy policies in rural and industrial regions despite current economic and political barriers. more»

Harvesting Renewable Energy

- July 28, 2011 - This report is in the final product of the Midwest Renewable Energy Tour. It shares the German success of using policy to develop rural renewable energy projects and how farms in the US states of South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin can increase their renewable energy capacity. by Neil Vielleux more»