Because of the country's reliance on Russia, the Ministry of Economics is considering keeping nuclear and coal-fired power facilities on the grid for an extended period of time. The outcome appears to be obvious.
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| [Europe's Energy Crisis] |
On a historic Sunday evening, Economics Minister Robert Habeck declared that "taboos of thinking" should be abolished. Under the guise of the Ukrainian conflict, the German government announced a 180-degree shift in its defence and security strategy this morning. An additional 100 billion euros will be available for the military as early as 2022, and defence spending will account for more than 2% of GDP in the future. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz refers to a "tipping moment in history."
However, a watershed moment in energy policy will be revealed on Sunday. In the ARD's "Report from Berlin," Green Habeck reveals that, due to Germany's reliance on Russia for energy, his ministry is looking at keeping nuclear and coal-fired power reactors on the grid for longer.
This has been a point of contention since the winter when gas and oil prices skyrocketed. With the advent of the Russian army, the topic of security strategy suddenly emerges. Can Germany eliminate nuclear power by the end of the year while remaining reliant on Putin's gas supplies?
"I would not oppose the question ideologically," adds Vice Chancellor Habeck. However, he follows up immediately: "But the preliminary check revealed that it does not benefit us." In reality, the operators of the remaining three nuclear power stations – EON, RWE, and EnBW – just recently come out against extending the service life. "It's unusual to start a conversation about this in Germany so close to the shutdown," said an EON spokeswoman.
In reality, the Ministry of Economic Affairs is looking at extending the period, but the outcome appears to be certain. The piles are already being shut down to an escape at the turn of the year, and there are no additional fuel rods available in the short term, so safety is not guaranteed. Furthermore, there is a shortage of qualified specialists in the reactors, and nuclear power has lately become unprofitable. "Nuclear electricity will not assist us in the winter of 2022/2023," Habeck argues. However, he leaves a rear door open.
However, unlike his party colleague Günther Oettinger, Andreas Jung, the Union's energy policy spokesman, does not believe in a delayed phase-out of nuclear power: "An extension of the service life would not be an answer to a current shortage of gas heating, industrial heat generation with gas, or anything Gas as a raw material in chemistry."
Gas cannot be replaced in the near term, but only in the medium and long term, through the use of "climate-neutral gases or investments in electricity-based technology."
The especially climate-damaging coal power generation, which the federal government "ideally" intends to phase out by 2030 rather than 2038, is currently being reconsidered. According to Habeck, one looks at which ancient coal-fired power facilities may be reconnected to the grid. However, given that hard coal is no longer produced in Germany and that half of imported coal originates from Russia, such a step makes little sense: "Letting it run longer entails extended reliance on hard coal supplies from Russia."
In the immediate term, a national coal reserve will be established to store supply for three months. The location and procurement are still being investigated.
Lindner himself now talks of "freedom energies."
Indeed, the rise of renewable energies appears to be the tipping point in energy policy. The energy transition was named the heart of the traffic light government in the coalition agreement; by 2030, 80 percent of German electricity should come from wind, water, and solar sources. "The only way to achieve true energy independence is to phase out fossil fuels." "No one owns the sun or the wind," Habeck asserts.
On Monday, he learned from his party that money for the growth of renewable energies would now have to be increased in accordance with the defence budget. Ricarda Lang, head of the Green Party, declares that one will "take relevant more money into the hand." "Energy policy is security policy," she asserted. Her party is looking for Finance Minister Christian Lindner's backing. When it came to renewable energy, the FDP leader used the term "freedom energies" for the first time in his speech to the Bundestag on Sunday. That, too, is a watershed moment.
There is a draft law for a national gas reserve
However, it will be some time before wind turbines, solar panels, and hydropower turbines are operational. The major focus of a special Council of Energy Ministers held on short notice in Brussels on Monday was on the EU nations' energy sovereignty. This will mostly imply state intervention in the gas market for Germany. Russia supplies around 55 percent of the country's gas.
A national gas reserve will be established in order to restrict the Kremlin's influence. According to a draught regulation released by the Ministry of Economics on Monday, Germany's gas storage facilities - the fourth largest in the world - would be legally required to fill in the future. According to the draught, the storage tanks should be filled with gas to 80% by October 1st and 90% by December 1st. The Bundestag is likely to adopt the measure in April.
Furthermore, Habeck stated on Sunday that he will shortly propose a "gas reduction strategy." Parts of the sector, it appears, should consume less gas, but ordinary houses could also save. According to German media Tagesspiegel, this includes the future installation of gas heating in new buildings.
German environmental aid is keeping complaints against the LNG terminal open
Furthermore, Germany should establish its own ports for liquefied natural gas, or LNG. Scholz stated in the Bundestag on Sunday that it was determined to develop two LNG facilities in Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven "soon." However, how rapidly this can be accomplished is debatable. The expenses are tremendous, and environmentalists are protesting.
German Environmental Aid (DUH) has requested two legal opinions on the two sites. According to Sascha Müller-Kraenner, DUH Managing Director of the Tagesspiegel: "An emergency operation at this site is impossible in Brunsbüttel, and there are worries about environmental protection in Wilhelmshaven."
Müller-Kraenner would not rule out the possibility of legal action against the LNG terminals' development. "I'm afraid I can't give out free passes for particular projects right now." However, the conflict in Ukraine is altering the situation: "So far, there has been overcapacity in Germany's gas market, which is why we thought LNG terminals were unnecessary." "We now need a review and, most importantly, an overarching strategy for phasing out gas by 2045," says Müller-Kraenner. The indicators point to a watershed moment in energy policy as well.