# Germany sets solar power record **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 30, 2012, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-sets-solar-power-record/623521 "2012-05-30T06:36:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-sets-solar-power-record/623521/1 "2012-05-30T06:36:22Z")
at [22 gigawatts](http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-05/28/germany-sets-solar-power-record) net output, from a total of 26 gigawatts installed. Pretty cool, even if it’s only an all-time-high spike. [Press release in German](http://www.iwr.de/news.php?id=21239) for those who can read it (a group which unfortunately doesn’t include me). ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-sets-solar-power-record/623521/2 "2012-05-30T07:00:40Z")
Now that is impressive. I’d no idea Germany was in front on solar power. I’m also curious whether or not they’ll meet their 2020 goals. A lot of European countries have made very ambitious goals by that period, but most before the recent economic crisis. It’s interesting to see Germany buckle down for it even in tight times. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-sets-solar-power-record/623521/3 "2012-05-30T08:37:44Z")
Some context for that figure gives some idea of how far they’d have to go. > [@](#): > > Despite the feat, it is worth noting that solar power still only accounts for around four percent of Germany’s annual electricity generation – and Germany has almost as much solar power capacity as the rest of the world combined. The German government is committed to reducing carbon emissions to 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2020 ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-sets-solar-power-record/623521/4 "2012-05-30T10:35:04Z")
Its hard for me to understand how Germany will reduce CO2 emissions-when they will shut down their nuclear plants and replace them with coal burning plants. Also, Germany has very few hours of sunlight in winter-how are solar cells going to contribute much when you have cloudy short winter days? I think Germany will come to its sense, and build modern, safe nuclear plants. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-sets-solar-power-record/623521/5 "2012-05-30T16:21:40Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I think Germany will come to its sense, and build modern, safe nuclear plants. I wouldn’t hold my breath on that prediction coming true. The environmentalists in Germany are a huge and very powerful bloc - they are also represented well in every political party. And while it is certainly true that Germany does not have the perfect weather for solar energy, Germany also is a financial powerhouse because they export technology. Do you think this technological feat went unnoticed in other countries with far more days of sunshine? Guess who they’re gonna call for “know how” when it comes down to investing heavily in this technology? Will solar energy become the sole provider of energy in Germany? Doubtful. But will they benefit from continued research and development - oh yes. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-sets-solar-power-record/623521/6 "2012-05-30T18:29:28Z")
so Germany can now send the Delorean to the past or the future… errr (carry the one) umm (opens calc.exe) 18.18 times!