{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Part 2: Inside Germany\u2019s Race for Renewables","description":"This is the second episode of a five-part series exploring the European energy crisis in the wake of Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine. If you haven\u2019t listened to the first episode, we recommend you start there.  Germany has grown its wind and solar sectors dramatically over the past 20 years. And yet, when Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy crisis, Germany fired up idle coal plants and began importing natural gas from around the world. So why couldn\u2019t renewables in Germany\u2014and in Europe more broadly\u2014meet the energy gap in this time of need?  In this episode, we cover the origin story of Germany\u2019s renewables boom\u2014including a nuclear disaster and an anti-nuclear political movement. Then, we examine the implications of the shutdown of nuclear power and the rise of renewables for the power sector. We look at the long-ignored part of German energy\u2014gas heating\u2014and how electrification could help Germany make better use of its strong wind and solar industries.  And finally, we discuss the role of hydrogen, batteries, and other low-carbon technologies in balancing renewables on the grid.   ","author_name":"The Big Switch","author_url":"http:\/\/thebigswitch.libsyn.com\/","html":"