This cross-sectional, interdisciplinary study traces the “history of innovation” of renewable energies in Germany. It features five renewable energy sectors of electricity generation: biomass, photovoltaic, wind energy, geothermal energy and hydropower. The study tracks the development of the respective technologies as well as their contribution to electricity generation. It focuses on driving forces and constraints for renewable energies in the period between 1990 and today.

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Elke Bruns works as senior research associate at the Environmental Assessment and Policy Research Group at the Berlin Institute of Technology (www.umweltpruefung.tu-berlin.de). She studied environmental planning and became familiar with renewable energies in the early 1990s, when working on a wind turbine zoning decree at the Ministry of Environment in the state of Brandenburg. Since then she has continuously worked in the field of impact assessment, impact mitigation and spatial aspects of renewable energies at the Berlin Institute of Technology. Since 2003 she had focused on analyzing the constellation and driving factors that influence renewable energy developments, and their environmental implications. Contact: elke.bruns@tu-berlin.de Dörte Ohlhorst works as research associate at the German Advisory Council on the Environment since March 2009. Since 1999 she has been an academic researcher at the Centre for Technology and Society at the Berlin Institute of Technology. She focused on the development of wind energy in her PhD thesis and gained her PhD in Political Science at the Free University of Berlin in 2008. Her primary fields of interest include German renewable energy policy, environmental and innovation policy, multi-level governance, sustainability strategies and social participation focusing on methods for interdisciplinary studies. Contact: ohlhorst@zedat.fu-berlin.de Bernd Wenzel is head of Ingenieurbüro für neue Energien (IfnE), a research and consulting institute for renewable energies and climate protection, resident in Teltow, Berlin. He established IfnE in 2005 and has since worked on several research projects, including for the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, and other organizations and municipalities. His focus is on economic and technical analysis of climate protection activities and renewable energies in electricity production. For more information please visit http://www.ifne.de (German). Contact: bwenzel@ifne.de Johann Köppel is a full professor at the Berlin Institute of Technology and head of the Environmental Assessment and Policy Research Group (www.umweltpruefung.tu-berlin.de). He teaches Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Planning, and has for 10 years been involved in research on supporting as well as impeding approaches to the sustainable deployment of renewable energies. Recently he has been pursuing a comparative analysis of the roles that the USA and Germany play in leading the field of renewable energies. Contact: johann.koeppel@tu-berlin.de

Acknowledgements.- List of Abbreviations.- List of Figures.- List of Tables.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Introduction to the Methodology.- 2.1 Research Questions and Aim of Research.- 2.2 Procedure.- 2.3 Methodology Used in the Constellation Analysis.- 2.4 Governing Political and Social Processes.- 2.5 References.- 3. Cross-Sectoral Interventions, Events and Processes.- 3.1 Crises As Triggers for Social Rethinking Processes.- 3.1.1 Environmental and Climate Crises.- 3.1.2 Oil Price Crises.- 3.1.3 Nuclear Energy Crisis.- 3.1.4 Energy Supply Crises and Electricity Gap Debate.- 3.1.5 Food Crisis.- 3.2 International Climate Protection Research and Politics.- 3.2.1 International Climate Protection Process.- 3.2.2 Establishment of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) .- 3.3 Incentives for Energy Policy at EU Level.- 3.3.1 Liberalization of the Energy Markets.- 3.3.2 Renewables and Climate Protection Policy at EU Level.- 3.3.3 European Emissions Allowance Trading.- 3.4 Emergence of National Problem Awareness and Process of Institutionalization.- 3.4.1 Institutionalization of Environmental Protection.- 3.4.2 Climate Protection in Politics and Administration.- 3.4.3 Institutionalization of Renewable Energy Policy.- 3.4.4 Establishment of Associations.- 3.5 Energy and Climate Policy Strategies and Objectives at National Level.- 3.5.1 Guidelines on Energy Policy Issued by The Federal Government In 1991.- 3.5.2 Change of Government to Red-Green In 1998.- 3.5.3 National Climate Protection Programs.- 3.5.4 Nuclear Phaseout Resolution of 2001.- 3.5.5 Sustainability Strategy 2002.- 3.6 Government Aid For Renewable Energy.- 3.6.1 Market Incentive Program.- 3.6.2 Federal Research Funding.- 3.6.3 Funding On State Level.- 3.7 Streg and EEG As Key Policy Measures.- 3.7.1 The Electricity Feed-In Act.- 3.7.2 The Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG).- 3.7.3 Integrated Energy and Climate Program of the Federal Government.- 3.8 Environmental and Planning Law For Renewable Energy Projects.- 3.8.1 Amendment of Regional Planning Law.- 3.8.2 Zoning Law / Planning Permission Law.- 3.8.3 Legal Basis For Grid Connection and Grid Expansion.- 3.9 Overall Parameters of the Electricity Sector.- 3.9.1 Integration Of The Electricity Industry In Europe - Actors And Influencing Factors.- 3.9.2 Structure Of The German Electricity Supply Sector.- 3.9.3 Liberalization of the Energy Market - The German Energy Industry Act.- 3.9.4 Current Courses Set In The Energy Sector.- 3.10 References.- 4. Innovation Framework For Generating Biogas and Electricity From Biogas.- 4.1 Preliminary Remarks.- 4.2 Phase-Based Analysis of the Innovation Process.- 4.2.1 Phase 1: Pioneering Phase - 1970 To 1990.- 4.2.2 Phase 2: First Phase of Emergence Between 1990 and 1999.- 4.2.3 Phase 3: Intensified Emergence Between 2000 and Mid-2004.- 4.2.4 Phase 4: Take-off From Mid-2004 to the End of 2006.- 4.2.5 Phase 5: Setback In Development 2007/2008.- 4.2.6 Consolidation From Mid-2008 Onwards and Future Prospects.- 4.3 References.- 5. Innovation Framework for Generating Electricity From Solar Power.- 5.1 Preliminary Remarks.- 5.2 Phase-Specific Analysis of the Innovation Process.- 5.2.1 Phase 1: Pioneering Phase, 1970 To 1985.- 5.2.2 Phase 2: Stagnation of Industry Engagement, R & D, 1986 to 1991.- 5.2.3 Phase 3: Large-Scale Testing From 1991 to 1994.- 5.2.4 Phase 4: Uncertainty and Slowdown, 1994 to 1998.- 5.2.5 Phase 5: Breakthrough, 1999 to 2003.- 5.2.6 Phase 6: Development Boom From 2004.- 5.3 References.- 6. Innovation Framework For Generating Electricity From Geothermal Power.- 6.1 Preliminary Remarks.- 6.2 Phase-Specific Analysis of the Innovation Process.- 6.2.1 Phase 1: 1985 To 2003, Research & Development, Preliminary Projects To Generate Electricity.- 6.2.2 Phase 2: Formation of Prospective Structures From 2004.- 6.2.3 Outlook.- 6.3 References.- 7. Innovation Framework For Generating Electricity From Wind Power.- 7.1 Preliminary Remarks.- 7.2 Phase-Based Analysis of t ...

The history and innovation pathways of renewable energy technologies in Germany