In the next few weeks, Hermann Scheer wanted to present his book “The energetic imperative – 100 % now – How the complete change to renewable energies can be realised” in five towns. The book became his legacy. On Thursday, the winner of the Alternative Nobel Prize and SPD Member of the German Bundestag in Berlin passed away. Shortly before his death – together with him – I had the pleasure to present this book in his constituency near Stuttgart.

Scheer was the world’s most successful advocate of renewable energies. He was called “solar pope” in the whole world – from China to Japan and from Africa to Latin America. In the past 30 years he held speeches on all continents – up to 200 per year. His numerous, pioneering books had been translated into 18 languages.

It is mainly thanks to him that the German “Erneuerbare–Energien-Gesetz (EEG – law for renewable energies) was adopted by 47 countries. Already 18 years ago, he predicted in my “Zeitsprung”-TV-Show in ARD that by 2030 the 100 % turn to renewable energies in Germany will be possible. In his last book he shows practical ways to achieve this goal even worldwide.

Of course, a visionary, fighter and pioneer like Hermann Scheer is controversial – in his own party, with his political opponents and mostly with representatives of the “old” energies. He was enough of a realist to know that any time, but not to get discouraged by it. He used to say: “A structural change has many winners and few losers. The four big energy companies will lose because of the solar energy change. The many winners are millions of homeowners with solar panels on their roofs or pellet-heating systems in the cellar, hundreds of thousands of farmers, craftsmen and medium-sized companies.”

In 2008 he should have become Minister of Economy and Environment in Hesse in a cabinet Ypsilanti. Thanks to Hermann Scheer and his vision of a renewable Hesse, the SPD gained 8 % and the CDU with Roland Koch lost 12 %. In the end, the SPD messed their election victory up for themselves.

To the “coal faction” of his own party, Hermann Scheer was at least as suspicious as to the “atomic faction” of the conservatives. His credo in his books and in full-page advertisements in many daily newspapers was till these days: “Renewable Energies don’t need a bridge”. The solar energy change is rather hindered than encouraged by extended operating periods of nuclear power plants or by new coal-fired power plants.

Hermann Scheer was a thrilling speaker – in front of an audience of 100 as well as of 10,000 at demonstrations. At a demonstration against Stuttgart 21 an audience of 50,000 listened to him. He was the first SPD politician to suggest a referendum. He did not want a career in a party, his inner motivations were always more important to him. This is why he was actively committed to the peace movement during the Eighties and later on in environmental movements. In private, Gerhard Schröder once said to him: “The dangerous thing with you is that you stand firm with your convictions.”

Hermann Scheer was an extraordinary person and a stubborn and inspiring politician.  It is rare that a journalist admits that he has learned a lot from a politician. I admit: From nobody I have learned as much in political respect as from Hermann Scheer.

In 2007, I was with the Federal Chancellor together with him. Before, Hermann had promoted his idea of an International Renewable Energies Agency (IRENA) for twenty years. In a charming way, he made clear to Angela Merkel that the Renewable Energies need an own agency at eye level with the International Energy Agency and the International Atomic Energy Association. The Federal Chancellor became active and two years later more than 100 governments founded the IRENA. Hermann Scheer is its inspirer – cross-party as often. He believed in and worked for a better world.

Ciao, dear Hermann and a good journey, dear friend. Your model is our mission.

© Franz Alt 2010