Renewable energies significantly reduce the emission of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the power sector. They are indispensable to achieve the climate protection goals. The growing share of renewable energies in the total power supply, increases their contribution to climate protection at the same time. In the year 2020, renewable energies will reduce emission by more than 200 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in the power sector alone. That is almost three times as much as in 2007 (75 billion tonnes) and equals the overall emissions of German industry and households today. Renewable energies are therefore the climate protector number 1 and without them the German and European climate goals would not be feasible.