Germany sets new solar power record equal to 20 nuclear power stations at full capacity

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BERLIN, May 26 (Reuters) - German solar power plants produced a world record 22 gigawatts of electricity per hour - equal to 20 nuclear power stations at full capacity - through the midday hours on Friday and Saturday, the head of a renewable energy think tank said.

The German government decided to abandon nuclear power after the Fukushima nuclear disaster last year, closing eight plants immediately and shutting down the remaining nine by 2022.

They will be replaced by renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and bio-mass.

Germany sets new solar power record, institute says | Energy & Oil | Reuters
  • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
    It's pretty amazing what a major country can do when it sets it's collective mind to do something. Good for Germany!
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    • Profile picture of the author TLTheLiberator
      Originally Posted by TimPhelan View Post

      It's pretty amazing what a major country can do when it sets it's collective mind to do something. Good for Germany!


      Great story!


      The Japanese problem was their wake up call.

      They don't want to take the chance of it happening in their country so they have taken corrective action to try to make sure it doesn't happen.

      Hopefully they'll complete the transition before 2022 when their last nuke plants are scheduled to be totally phased out.


      You're right Tim,


      It is amazing what a major country can do when the leadership has their heads screwed on straight and the common good in mind.

      What a combination!

      TL
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      • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
        Hopefully this will become a point of jealousy and transform into a competition from other countries so that they will rush to match or beat the Germans and we can get our own leaders minds off of their money grubbing paws and onto something that's actually a good thing, something they could be actually proud of.

        You know, kind of like the rush to get to the moon in the space programs back in the day.

        Terra
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        • Profile picture of the author ThomM
          Originally Posted by MissTerraK View Post

          Hopefully this will become a point of jealousy and transform into a competition from other countries so that they will rush to match or beat the Germans and we can get our own leaders minds off of their money grubbing paws and onto something that's actually a good thing, something they could be actually proud of.

          You know, kind of like the rush to get to the moon in the space programs back in the day.

          Terra
          I doubt it Tara. After the gas shortage in the 70's Greenland (I think it was) woke up and totally went off foreign oil. Instead they utilized their own natural resources.
          It never even made the papers.
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        • Profile picture of the author Kurt
          Originally Posted by MissTerraK View Post

          Hopefully this will become a point of jealousy and transform into a competition from other countries so that they will rush to match or beat the Germans and we can get our own leaders minds off of their money grubbing paws and onto something that's actually a good thing, something they could be actually proud of.

          You know, kind of like the rush to get to the moon in the space programs back in the day.

          Terra
          This is how it should be...But Germany, Japan (and Greenland) are much more "social" than we are.

          We need to remember that Big Oil is the most profitable industry on Earth by a factor of 10. Also, half of our military budget is spent on protecting oil interests overseas...So there's alot of political pressure here to keep us on oil as long as possible.

          The good news is, we don't need our Gov to change. We can make many of the changes on our own. People with basic "shop skills" can do a number of things inexpensively without needing the USA gov to step in.

          The bad news is, the cost of Chinese make solar panels will increase about 30% soon. The Chinese flooded the market so we're going to charge tariffs to give US manufacturers more of an ability to compete.
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          • The answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind
            The answer is blowin' in the wind.

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          • Profile picture of the author ThomM
            Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

            This is how it should be...But Germany, Japan (and Greenland) are much more "social" than we are.

            We need to remember that Big Oil is the most profitable industry on Earth by a factor of 10. Also, half of our military budget is spent on protecting oil interests overseas...So there's alot of political pressure here to keep us on oil as long as possible.

            The good news is, we don't need our Gov to change. We can make many of the changes on our own. People with basic "shop skills" can do a number of things inexpensively without needing the USA gov to step in.

            The bad news is, the cost of Chinese make solar panels will increase about 30% soon. The Chinese flooded the market so we're going to charge tariffs to give US manufacturers more of an ability to compete.
            One of the reasons I have faith in Americans.
            The majority still wants for the gov. to fix a problem, but there are many out there who look at a problem and figure out how to fix it themselves.
            By the way Kurt, I think you're a good example of the latter
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            • Profile picture of the author MissTerraK
              Thanks guys!

              I know what you speak is the truth, that's why I say "I wish". Why are the higher ups in our country so stupid? Idiots! (that was for you, Thom)

              Terra
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  • Profile picture of the author flowbee77
    Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate View Post

    They will be replaced by renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and bio-mass.

    Germany sets new solar power record, institute says | Energy & Oil | Reuters
    Nice! So Tony Stark's ArcReactor isn't the only game in town for renewable energy! Cool!
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  • Profile picture of the author computermesh
    Great for Germany. It's nice to see countrys like this do remarkable things. While the US has record usage for gas diesel coal and electricity.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    I'm impressed and delighted about this news -- and hope they set a trend for all countries. What a wonderful thing it would be to shut down nukes and get SAFE and CLEAN, not to mention renewable, power running our world. It's absolutely shameful what we have allowed to go on in the name of profit.
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    Sal
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt
    ...And Germany doesn't get near the amount of sunshine the West/South Western US states get. Nor does Germany get the wind the US plains states get.
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    • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
      Right! Well, here in the US we do have "drill baby drill" still. :/
      Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

      ...And Germany doesn't get near the amount of sunshine the West/South Western US states get. Nor does Germany get the wind the US plains states get.
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      • Profile picture of the author Kurt
        Originally Posted by TimPhelan View Post

        Right! Well, here in the US we do have "drill baby drill" still. :/
        Not to mention a certain political leader that actually apologized to BP after the spill...Then this same knucklehead went so far as to say that wind turbines will cause the Earth to warm because it will slow down the wind.

        Let's just add that it's a coincidence he's from an oil producing state.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by Kurt View Post

      ...And Germany doesn't get near the amount of sunshine the West/South Western US states get. Nor does Germany get the wind the US plains states get.
      And Germany did this one year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
      It's been two years since the oil spill, same guy's in charge now here as when the spill happened and yet nothing has changed.
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      • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
        Thom, what exactly could Obama do with the current congress in charge? Plus, would you really want the government to get involved? You know that goes against the whole government is evil mantra your guy believes.
        Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

        And Germany did this one year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
        It's been two years since the oil spill, same guy's in charge now here as when the spill happened and yet nothing has changed.
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        • Profile picture of the author ThomM
          Originally Posted by TimPhelan View Post

          Thom, what exactly could Obama do with the current congress in charge? Plus, would you really want the government to get involved? You know that goes against the whole government is evil mantra your guy believes.
          Never said the whole govt. is evil and I don't believe that.
          My guy doesn't either, so you got that wrong too.
          It's about a smaller govt. and one that follows the constitution instead of ignoring it like your guy does.
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          • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
            Yeah, small as in "Don't try to do anything, just let the free market work". Do you think your guy would have done anything after the oil spill besides cutting taxes for the oil companies? Seriously, what would he have done?

            Originally Posted by ThomM View Post

            Never said the whole govt. is evil and I don't believe that.
            My guy doesn't either, so you got that wrong too.
            It's about a smaller govt. and one that follows the constitution instead of ignoring it like your guy does.
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            • Profile picture of the author ThomM
              Originally Posted by TimPhelan View Post

              Yeah, small as in "Don't try to do anything, just let the free market work". Do you think your guy would have done anything after the oil spill besides cutting taxes for the oil companies? Seriously, what would he have done?
              Whatever Tim. I understand you don't get it and never will so there's no point talking to you about him.
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              As you are I was, as I am you will be
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  • Profile picture of the author Johnny12345
    Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate View Post

    The German government decided to abandon nuclear power after the Fukushima nuclear disaster last year, closing eight plants immediately and shutting down the remaining nine by 2022.

    Of course they're shutting them all down. The Germans are smart.

    Chernobyl, 3 Mile Island, Fukushima... how many horrible disasters will it take to convince the rest of the world that nuclear power is a seriously flawed idea? Sheesh...

    -John
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  • Profile picture of the author Vrindavan
    Germany Produces 20 Nuclear Plants Worth Of Solar Energy, How Germany Is Debunking Energy Myths
    Germany Produces 20... | Facebook
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