Renewable clean energy for all of its good points is just as prone to exaggeration and out right miss representation of the facts it seems as dirty energy. Take Ron's assertions for example. German PV is only about 3.2% (claimed by solar proponents, and only 2% by non-solar proponents) of it's total renewable energy platform which in 2011 was 19.9% of it's total energy production. Or in actual math terms that means solar PV was a total of less than 0.16% (3.2%/19.9%) of Germany' total energy production. Some how 0.16% doesn't sound like the roof tops are covered with panels and not nearly as dramatic as Ron makes it sound.
Even the German solar advocates inflate the significance of their very low efficiency solar power system. ???Solar energy has become an indispensable ingredient of a successful energy strategy shift,??? said Managing Director of BSW (national solar industry) Carsten Koernig. Sorry Carsten ole bud, but a 0.16% component of the nations energy is highly and easily dispensed of - if it isn't competitive, or if its dangerous - just ask the German nuclear industry that supplied 22.5% of Germany's power up until Fukishima. Germany is also progressively eliminating it's solar subsidies and two German solar manufacturers went bankrupt in 2011. Solar will be problematic for Germany in the best case, while wind is likely to be the bigger player in renewables. Visit Germany in the winter time and you'll know why.
Refs,:
(
http://cleantechnica.com/2011/12/30/german-solar-power-production-surges-60-renewables-20-of-total-electricity-supply/)
(
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf43.html)
