“Save the world, a little bit”

Think tank Agora Energiewende* will present proposals to take better account of industry needs in the German energy transition, Angela Hennersdorf and Christian Schlesiger write in WirtschaftsWoche. In its "Charter for Energiewende Industrial Policy" to be presented next week, Agora argues that climate protection must be reconciled with industrial policy to provide planning security for businesses. Energy-intensive companies including Thyssenkrupp, Siemens and Wacker Chemie have collaborated on the paper. The country needs “a future pact between government and industry that defines the Energiewende as a common project,” said Agora's director, Patrick Graichen. Concrete proposals include adapting energy costs to conditions in competing international locations, reforming energy taxes and levies, and fixing Germany’s climate targets in an “Energiewende law” that would also guarantee competitive energy costs, WirtschaftsWoche reports.

For background read the CLEW dossier The energy transition's effect on jobs and business.

*Like the Clean Energy Wire, Agora Energiewende is a project funded by Stiftung Mercator and the European Climate Foundation.