Two contrasting news this week. First, there is a developed nation that has decided to stop in its track and take a different road. Second, a developing nation takes a potentially damaging step to show what energy desperate states will do.
If Germany has taken the decision to shut down all nuclear plants by 2022, Brazil has decided to go with its massive mega dam.
Over the course of 12 years, Germany will phase out all of its 17 nuclear facilities, which currently provide 23 percent of its electricity. Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to compensate for the nuclear plant shutdowns by reducing electricity consumption by 10 percent by 2020 and, in the same period, more than double the share of renewable energies to 35 percent.
Renewables, mostly wind and solar, currently account for about 13 percent of Germany’s power. Depending on the wind and weather, they provide 17 to 27 GWs to the country’s grid. Will the shutdown affect the nation's growth? Maybe, considering some of its major products like cars and machines. Maybe not, considering it has many of the world's solar and wind companies!
Brazil meanwhile feels the 11,200-megawatt Belo Monte project, due to start producing electricity in 2015, is crucial to provide power to Brazil's fast-growing economy. It will be the world's third biggest hydroelectric dam after China's Three Gorges and Itaipu on the border of Brazil and Paraguay.
The 3.75-mile dam will displace 30,000 river dwellers, partially dry up a 62-mile stretch of the Xingu river, and flood large areas of forest and grass land.
In a world increasingly proving that decentralisation and clean energy is the solution, we have the positive and negative tales! Which will see more followers, any guesses?
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