Germany wants to double renewable power - minister

Speaking at a news conference to present the findings of a report into the impact Germany\'s renewable energy act has had on supply and demand, Mueller said he would like to see renewables share rise to 20 percent from around eight percent today. Renewables share of primary energy consumption should rise to five from two percent. \"Building up renewables is a very important part of my energy policy,\" Mueller, a former conventional power industry executive, said. Germany holds a general election on September 22. The opposition conservatives, currently ahead in opinion polls, have hinted they will roll back subsidies for renewables if elected. The renewable energy act, which came into force on April 1 2000, has had a clear impact, Mueller said, raising renewables share from around six percent at end-1999 to an expected eight percent at the end of 2002. Some 18 billion kilowatt hours (KwH)of electricity was produced from renewables in 2001. That would rise this year to around 21 billion KwH, he said. Mueller attributed the rise mainly to the boom in windpower, saying Germany with an installed base of some 10,000 MegaWatts was leading the world in this area. REUTERS NEWS SERVICE