German steel sector warns against abrupt halt to coal-fired power

An abrupt end to coal-fired power generation in Germany would damage the steel industry’s competitiveness by pushing up electricity prices, the head of the country’s steel association, Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, said at the National Steel Summit, Reuters reports. At the summit, German states that are home to steel industry agreed a strategy paper. In it they call for compensation for rising power prices due to an increase in Emission Trading System (ETS) prices and criticise national solo-runs in climate protection, which could harm the sector’s competitiveness in the international market.

Read the Reuters article in German here, the states’ strategy paper in German here.

For background, read the CLEW article Rising CO2-price could trigger German coal phase-out in 5 years.