31 March 2011
EU: Nuclear moratorium opens the door to renewables
Germany's decision to shut down some of its nuclear power stations following problems with Japanese plants after the recent earthquake could spur long-term growth in renewable energy.
Germany's decision to shut down some of its nuclear power stations following problems with Japanese plants after the recent earthquake could spur long-term growth in renewable energy. But, for now, it will mainly be coal and gas that will fill the gap, increasing carbon emissions. In mid-March, German leader Angela Merkel closed the country's seven oldest nuclear stations for at least three months to carry out safety inspections and said some reactors may be decommissioned earlier than previously planned. Merkel also called for her country to speed up its move towards renewable energy to help fill any gap in electricity supply. BEE, a German renewable-energy industry association, said it was
Also in this section
28 November 2025
The launch of the bloc’s emissions trading system in 2005 was a pioneering step, but as the scheme hits 21 its impact as a driver of decarbonisation is still open to debate
18 November 2025
Vicki Hollub, president and CEO of Occidental, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Dewhurst Award, the highest honour bestowed by WPC Energy. The Dewhurst Award celebrates exceptional leadership, groundbreaking innovation and a lifetime of significant achievements in sup-port of the development and advancement of the energy industry.
11 November 2025
Transition policies must recognise that significant industrial demand for carbon will continue even as economies hit net zero
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined
