German Utility Revolts Against Renewable Energy, Threatens To Relocate In Turkey

[wtmusic]

"The politics of electric power are getting nasty in Germany.

E.ON , Germany’s largest gas, electric and water utilities, has threatened to relocate to Turkey if the continues to prevent the profitability of its nuclear and fossil-fired power plants, according to AFP reports.

In the wake of the Fukushima crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to phase-out nuclear power in Germany by the end of the decade and fill the resulting gap in power supply by generating up to 80% of the nation’s electricity from renewable energy by 2050."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2013/08/19/german-utility-revolts-against-renewable-energy-threatens-to-relocate-in-turkey/

[djean111]

1. Yes, because profit is more important than anything else.

It is that way here, too.

[wtmusic]

2. E.ON is not a charitable organization

so yes, profit is more important than anything else. It's a matter of survival.

If we want to curb climate change, we're going to have to find solutions which are profitable. Except for hydro and geothermal, renewables are not even close.

[greenman3610]

3. right. "renewables are not even close"

Just close enough to force a major fossil and nuclear company to want to flee to a more regressive regime.

[wtmusic]

5. Only proves my point

If they could make money in renewables, they'd do it.

Largest German solar company files for bankruptcy
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90778/8319183.html

[kristopher]

11. Proves your point?

Last edited Fri Aug 30, 2013, 12:43 PM - Edit history (1)

The lesson from the story is that that nuclear and coal are part of the centralized thermal system that is the problem at the heart of climate change. Renewables are the only way to fix that problem. In just over a decade of serious effort hey are doing in Germany what nuclear FAILED to do for over 50 years.

RWE to close or idle power plants

German power giant RWE says it will mothball or shutdown some of its gas and coal-fired power stations because of an increase in renewable energy.

The company said a boom in solar energy meant many of its power stations were no longer profitable.

A total of 3,100 megawatts of generating capacity will be taken off line, representing about 6% of RWE's total capacity...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23692530

[djean111]

4. As if they are concerned with climate change.

They are not concerned with curbing anything but renewables, in the name of profit.

"profit is more important than anything else. It's a matter of survival."
Survival of the company, not the planet. Corporations would cheerfully watch the earth ruined, in the name of profit.
In fact, they are doing so right now.

[wtmusic]

6. They don't care about climate change

but what does it accomplish to pretend they do, or should? Absolutely nothing.

[djean111]

7. I agree about pretending, and it galls me to see them pretend.

What I hate is the attitude that we all should go along with the choice of profit over the earth, as if we have no real choice.

[kristopher]

13. Neither do you.

The only thing you care about is promoting nuclear power.

ALEC's Energy Climate Agenda: ProFossil, ProNuclear, AntiRenewable

If a person promotes nuclear power under the guise of climate concern while trying to derail renewable energy programs, they are serving the interests of the American Legislative Exchange Council's Energy/Climate Agenda.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101672224

[BlueToTheBone]

8. It's time they started doing something else.

You know, like when cars came in, buggy whip makers had to learn a new trade.

[villager]

9. +1

Amazing how an antiquated, dangerous technology's corporate booster holding a country hostage is held up as an example of why we "need" that same dangerous, corporate-spawned technology...

[kristopher]

12. +1

[kristopher]

10. Poor little wt; yet another WAR IS PEACE post?

Trying to recast proof the success of renewables as evidence of failure. Poor little wt...

German Utilities Hammered in Market Favoring Renewables
By Tino AndresenAugust 12, 2013

<snip>

RWE AG and EON SE are getting hurt by falling power prices and a shrinking market share this year. They’re set to report second-quarter earnings this week just as RBC Capital Markets said both may need to raise capital.

“Lower earnings for RWE and EON have knock-on implications for the balance sheet of both companies,” John Musk, an analyst at RBC Capital in London, said last week. “The market has yet to factor in the longer-term earnings impact of German power prices,” which have dropped about 27 percent in a year.

Across Europe and some of the U.S., utilities that a decade ago dominated markets now struggle to cope with lower prices exacerbated by subsidized renewables that don’t pay fuel costs. The pain is most acute in Germany, which led the world installing solar farms and has the largest offshore wind plans. Clean energy also has preference over fossil fuels in European wholesale markets, a job killer at traditional utilities.

EON of Dusseldorf and Essen-based RWE are considering halting coal and gas plants with capacity exceeding 20,000 megawatts and can supply 21 cities the size of Cologne, risking some of the combined workforce of more than 10,000.

“A significant part of our business model is now facing new challenges...

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-08-11/german-utilities-hammered-in-market-favoring-renewables-energy

[phantom power]

14. "poor little X_" is getting a little stale, you should try mixing it up a little.

Ad hominems are like spice -- over use undercuts the effect.

[jpak]

15. They can't compete.

Bye Bye!

Yup