Guide on Misrepresenting the Renewable Energy Narrative: Planet of the Humans
In the world of environmental documentaries, the recent release of 'Planet of the Humans' has caused quite a stir. One of the film's critics is Craig Morris, a renowned energy expert and author, who has spoken out against the movie's misrepresentation of facts, particularly regarding Germany's renewable energy sector.
Morris, who appeared in the film, has expressed his displeasure at being misquoted out of context. He clarified that he was not stating that Germany is running on wind and solar power, as suggested by the film. Instead, he had pointed out that Germany's renewable energy sector has grown significantly over the years, increasing from 6% in 2000 to around 35% by the end of 2016. This growth, according to Morris, is due to all renewable sectors working together, not picking each other apart.
However, the film depicts renewables as having been co-opted by capitalism, a claim Morris clarifies he is against corporatism, not capitalism. Morris argues that in modern times, anyone can found a corporation for any reason, and the corporation is bound by law to prioritize shareholder value over stakeholders.
Reuters reported that Germany produced 35% of its power from renewables in the first half of 2017, supporting Morris' statement. The source that indicates the share of renewable energies in Germany's total energy consumption at the end of 2016 is not explicitly provided in the search results; however, the Arbeitsgruppe Erneuerbare Energien-Statistik (AGEE-Stat) from Umweltbundesamt routinely provides annual data and would likely include such figures in their reports.
The film has been criticized for wallowing in confusion rather than clearing it up. For instance, it displays a chart showing 4.8% for solar and wind energy, but this is for all energy and electricity only makes up a fifth of energy consumption in Germany. Bill McKibben was quoted in the film saying that Germany got 80% of its power 'from the sun' on a few days 'this past summer,' but this statement is not accurate as Germany has never had 80% solar power. A person not identified in the article said '50% of their power,' but it is not clear whether this statement is true or not.
American scholar Ozzie Zehner, author of 'Green Illusions,' has also criticized the film for promoting the idea that Germany is running on wind and solar power, which Zehner called a lie. Zehner, who was written about by Morris in a 2013 blog post, shares Morris' view that the US approach is still 'divide and conquer.'
In a TV interview in Canada in November 2016, Morris was asked whether rural people should have to put up with wind turbines and he said no. In the same interview, Morris was asked whether Germany is 'fueled by dirty energy' and he answered yes, citing Germany's high coal power usage. Morris also wrote a whole chapter about this topic in his last book.
Since its online launch on Earth Day, the film 'Planet of the Humans' has caused controversy. As the dust settles, it is clear that the film's portrayal of Germany's renewable energy sector requires a closer look and a more accurate representation of the facts.
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