Renewable energies avoid greenhouse gas emissions

solar panel and wind energy plantClick to enlarge
Clean electricity from solar, wind and hydroenergy is particularly beneficial to air and climate.
Source: ikonoklast_hh / Fotolia.com

Calculations undertaken by UBA show that in the year 2013 the use of renewable energies avoided greenhouse gas emissions of 146 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents in Germany.

72 percent of these emissions savings were achieved in the electricity sector, 25 percent in the heating sector, and 3 percent can be counted towards the use of biofuels in transport. Given these facts, renewable energies (and especially their use for electricity generation) play a major role for Germany achieving its climate targets. Looking at air pollutants, the picture is more complex: While electricity generation using wind, hydro and solar energy avoids emissions, wood burning increases emissions of particulate matter for example. To make the best possible use of the advantages of all different kinds of renewable energies, its use should be accompanied by regulating measures, such as gradually increased environmental standards for the use of wood-fired stoves and heating systems.