While praising Germany's "commitment to sound energy policies", the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a 2007 country report that important challenges remained, with the planned nuclear phase-out chief among them.
According to the IEA, eliminating nuclear from Germany’s supply portfolio will have the following consequences:
- A reduction in supply diversity and "increasing reliance on energy imports, particularly natural gas, which is not diversified enough";
- a setback for the economy as the phase-out will require "additional near-term investments in new capacity that could otherwise be avoided", and;
- additional pressure to reduce greenhouse gas as the Paris-based agency notes that "generation from nuclear power is free of greenhouse-gas emissions".
"While additional renewables capacity, along with energy efficiency gains, could certainly make up some of the resulting gap, there will be greater reliance on carbon-emitting fuels," the IEA warned. "Without a doubt, a phase-out will limit Germany's full potential to reduce its emissions."
"The IEA urges the government to reconsider the decision to phase out nuclear power in light of these adverse consequences."
The statement will infuriate green campaigners, who say the argument that nuclear should be part of the solution to climate change is "a red herring" and that nuclear could not survive on a liberalised energy market without massive government support.
The exclusion of nuclear from EU competition rules "runs counter to the development of a free internal market in energy", according to the Greens in the European Parliament, who blame the "outdated" 1957 Euratom Treaty for allowing this.
"The Euratom Treaty…is one of the reasons why the European Union is so slow to act when it comes to switching to safe and sustainable sources of energy," said Renate Künast, Germany's former environment minister, as she believes it "enshrines a one-sided support" in favour of nuclear energy.
"Even member states which have decided to abandon nuclear energy…are obliged to support nuclear energy," under the Treaty, Künast pointed out.
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