Regional Energy Reports highlights_Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt (Germany)
Saxony-Anhalt: an example of energy transition from the use of conventional fossil sources to a sustainable energy supply through renewable energies.
In the land Saxony-Anhalt live about 2.2 million inhabitants in 218 municipalities, most of them with a population lower than 1000. The average income per household is about 17000 € per year. The energy costs are on the average about 2004€ per household pro year. About 1,23 cars are present per household. Goods are mostly transported by highways and by railways. Indeed the average per capita transport of good is 6000 tkm by highways and 1000tkm by railways. The residential sector contributes to about 13% of the total energy consumed. By considering all the sectors, about 65 MWh is the average consumption per capita in Saxony-Anhalt.
In Saxony-Anhalt, the generation from renewable energies plays an important role. By considering the electricity and the thermal energy, renewable energies (biomass, wind and sun) contribute for about 43% of the total generated energy. Natural gas is the main primary energy source, followed by solid fossil (coal) and liquid fossil. In the electric sector, the share of renewable energy reaches 55%. Wind energy results to be the most used resource. Over 2800 wind turbines with an installed capacity of over 5.1 GW are in operation. Their electric power generation covers about 34% of the entire generated electricity. Photovoltaic plants, with an installed capacity of 2.5 GW, also contribute to greening the generation of electricity. About 8% of the generated electricity is produced by sun. Bio-energies (solid biomass and biogas) cover about 3,3% of the demanded heat and about 12,5% of the generated electricity.
The current state government aims to reduce the total GHG-emissions to 31,3 million tons by 2020. The CO2 emission account to 11,5 tonne per capita, so far. The residential sector contributes for about 9% of the total CO2 emissions.
Wind, solar and bio energies represent the most used renewable source. All three sources have a further exploitation´s potential: the generation of electricity by photovoltaic plant seems to have the highest exploiting potential, while the bioenergy is estimated to be limited to 170 MW electric more.
A considerable potential for the expansion of wind energy in Saxony-Anhalt in combination with a simultaneous spatial planning control effect is provided by repowering of the old wind turbines. About 900 turbines operating in Saxony-Anhalt have an age ranging between 15 and 17 years. They can be repowered after the 20-years EEG subsidy.
In this context, the project PROSPECT2030 will support the Land Saxony-Anhalt to further decarbonize its energetic supply system.
