07/20/2008 21:56 h
That is why we are already well prepared for this future today. We have laid the foundation stone for this situation with a formidable EUR63 billion investment program. Renewable energies play a significant role, but not only for ecological reasons. The expansion of this sector is not only our contribution to the shaping of a sustainable future, it is simultaneously the fulfillment of our responsibility as one of the world's leading energy providers. At the same time, nuclear power, fossil fuels and gas will continue to play a significant role in our activities.
Even in the future, we will be unable to meet energy demands with the power of the wind, the sun and biomass alone. In coming decades, coal and gas will still play an important role in the generation of electrical power – and nuclear power remains equally as important. We need a balanced power generation portfolio that enables us to offset the cost risks of the various energy sources against each other and ensures our greatest possible independence from imported fuels.
Because, only in this way will we be able to provide the security of dependable long-term power supply at competitive prices, while simultaneously promoting the expansion of renewable energies with unfailing dedication.
E.ON is aiming for a energy mix that promotes climate protection and makes it possible to guarantee secure power supply by means of an optimum risk-return profile based on various energy sources. Starting with the levels in 1990 as a reference, we intend to reduce our specific CO2 emissions by at least 50 percent by the year 2030. This is, by the way, an extremely rational move in terms of business economics, as we are then considerably less affected by ever increasing CO2 costs. More than one half of the energy mix we are aiming for in 2030 is CO2 free – thanks to nuclear power, coal fired power generation with CO2 cleansing and renewable energies – and the remainder is CO2 emission reduced thanks to ultra-efficient coal and gas fired power plants. We also fully recognize the scale of what we are planning.
