The need to rethink German Nuclear Power

The German power system is dominated by the Energy Transition, which focuses on the nuclear-free decarbonization of the German energy sector. This came about when the German energy took a sharp turn in the wake of the Fukushima disaster in 2011 that led to the announcement of decommissioning German nuclear power stations. This would take place alongside reduction carbon emissions by up to 95% by 2050. But a nuclear-free energy sector cannot decarbonize effectively if the base-load is covered by lignite plants, one of the largest emitters of Greenhouse Gases. At present, Renewable Energy Sources cannot provide the security of supply required by a developed industrial economy, especially on where energy prices remain high, despite the major increase in RES. This paper assesses this and the impact of decommissioning of German nuclear and the need to rethink the policy. © 2019 Elsevier Inc.