Germany Germany shut down three of its last six nuclear power plants, with the rest being run down this year

Germany has shut down three of its last six nuclear power plants, according to Reuters. Germany aims to shut down all its nuclear power plants by the end of this year and focus on renewable energy production. The price of electricity is at its highest in the country due to the energy crisis.

The German government decided to speed up the schedule for the closure of nuclear power plants following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011. The accident was triggered by an earthquake and the ensuing tsunami.

The last ones six nuclear power plants generated 12% of Germany’s electricity in 2021. Coal accounted for 28%, gas for 15% and renewables for a total of 41%.

The exclusion of nuclear power, which is considered to be clean and affordable, is considered by many to be an irreversible step for Europe’s largest economy in achieving its environmental goals.

Germany’s goal is to increase the share of renewable energy to 80% by 2030 by increasing the share of wind and solar power.

Despite investments in renewable energy, coal-fired power is still the single most important form of electricity generation in Germany. So far, renewable energy sources have been used to replace nuclear power instead of coal power, wrote HS’s financial journalist Jarno Hartikainen.

Read more: Nuclear decommissioning in Germany progresses despite climate crisis and energy price crisis