German states commit to streamlining energy transition

Federal economy minister Peter Altmaier of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) met with the heads of departments of all 16 German federal states in Hanover on 24 May to discuss how to better coordinate and accelerate the energy transition across the country, reports n-tv. "This means that we will clear the way step by step so that the [renewables and power grid] expansion can finally catch up," said Altmaier. The federal states aim to coordinate the energy system transformation process across national borders and to dismantle obstacles. The states agreed upon a declaration of commitment which, among other things, also provides for the extension of the energy system transformation process to the heat and transport sectors.

This meeting comes on the heels of the adoption of a new law aimed at accelerating the much-needed expansion of Germany’s power grid.  The law went into effect one day after the country’s network agency BNetzA said that grid expansion remained the greatest challenge of the Energiewende.