Germany Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has announced plans to phase out Nuclear power by 2022, closing all power plants, which before a shutdown of 7 old plants in March 2011, accounted for 23% of Germany’s energy requirements.
Despite the plan to phase out nuclear energy being expedited since Fukishima, nuclear power has long been the target of political groups and the general population. Merkel had announced last year that there would be a 12 year extension from a previously planned 2021 phase out, but since the disaster in Japan, this has been scrapped.
Renewable Energy Job Opportunities in Germany
The most interesting aspect of this decision is the positioning of Germany as the world leader for renewable energy;
"We believe we as a country can be a trailblazer for a new age of renewable energy sources," the German chancellor was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.
"We can be the first major industrialised country that achieves the transition to renewable energy with all the opportunities - for exports, development, technology, jobs - it carries with it."
Executives working in renewable energy industries will see many job opportunities in Germany following this decision, and if Germany succeeds in its strive to set an example to the world, renewable energy industries will see a boost worldwide.
The wind power industry is looking at the biggest growth opportunity, with proposals to be won by organisations who can plan ‘off shore’ wind farms, particularly in the North Sea.
Germany are keen to commercialise the green industry dramatically, and jobs will also be created in energy optimisation technology as well as new energy development. And with new technology, comes opportunities for exports and huge domestic development contracts.
Neighbouring Nuclear Power Houses
Germany’s neighbours include the Czech Republic, France and Poland, each with strong Nuclear industries and plans for further development. Poland has announced two new large facilities and France generates over 75% of their electicity for Nuclear sources.
It was also reported that German electricity imports from France doubled after the March shut down of old nuclear plants, demonstrating there is still a long way ahead before Germany will be able to fulfill a 23% deficit and that a 2022 complete renewable replacement appears optimistic. Coal energy is also looking at a boost at least in the coming years.
Nonetheless, executives working in nuclear power generation should already consider relocation plans to neighbouring nuclear powered economies, while renewable energy executives should prepare to take advantage of the rising green job opportunities in Germany. --
This article was written by Christian Pielow from the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC).
BlueSteps is the exclusive service of the AESC that puts senior executives on the radar screen of over 6,000 executive search professionals in over 70 countries. Be visible, and be considered for up to 50,000 opportunities handled by AESC search firms every year. Find out more at www.BlueSteps.com.
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