26 May 2012
Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR)
World Record: German solar systems produce electricity with a capacity of more than 20,000 MW for the first time
Muenster - The growing erection of photovoltaic systems and the early summer weather provided Germany with a new world record for solar capacity, producing electricity at midday on Friday (25th May 2012). According to IWR, a renewable energy institute based in Muenster, German solar systems with a capacity of more than 20,000 MW feeding environmentally friendly power into the national grid for the first time under a cloudless sky at midday on Friday. The solar power plant capacity reached 22,000 MW at midday on Friday. This is equivalent to the capacity of more than 20 nuclear power stations. "There is currently no other country in the world in which solar energy systems can produce electricity with a capacity of more than 20,000 MW", says Allnoch.
The contribution of photovoltaics to power production covers an increasing proportion of the rising power demand in Germany in the course of the day until midday. Power demand through the day follows a bell-shaped curve, i.e., little power is required at night and during the day the demand for power rises strongly until midday and then falls again evenly until the evening. According to Allnoch "the fact that the sun provides substantial power plant capacity at exactly the time it is most needed – namely at the peak time over midday - is often underestimated". Expensive peak load power stations are being used less and less frequently, if at all.
This is an English translation of the German original (26th May 2012). Only the German version is binding.
Muenster, 26th May 2012
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