Energy supplies

Electricity generation in Germany is currently dominated by the use of nuclear energy (23%), black coal (20%) and lignite (24%). This structure has resulted from long-term investment decisions and short-term planning. Since, depending on the fuel and the means of operation, the service life of plants can extend to 35 years and more, the composition of the power plant fleet at any specific point in time is the result of commercial, ecological, regional-economic and energy policy factors that often extend far into the past. The short-term planning of power plants within the framework of a given plant fleet depends solely on the variable fuel costs. Compared with other fuels, lignite, nuclear power and hydropower cause relatively low variable costs.