Last three German nuclear plants power down

Saturday, April 15, marked the end of the six decade long German nuclear energy era with the closure of the country’s last three plants.

Furthermore, the initial decision for Germany to end its nuclear energy production came in 2011, shortly after the Fukushima accident. The original plan was for the country’s last plants to be put off grid by 2022, but the energy crisis created the need for an extension.

Moreover, the decrease in natural gas imports from Russia in 2022 pushed Germany to ramp up its coal-fueled energy production and the need for alternative methods to be used.

During the past year, Germany has primarily focused on filling existing gas storage as well as creating new infrastructure for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In addition to this, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for four to five wind turbines to be installed a day over the next few years, with 551 installed last year.

The country’s goal is to end its coal-fueled energy production by 2038 and have 80% of its total energy produced by renewables by the end of the decade.