German states say renewables roll-out need not wait on grid expansion

Germany’s federal states have decided on a joint approach in climate policy, reports the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. State premiers agreed to push ahead with the renewables roll-out even if currently existing grid capacities are insufficient. Instead, the green power is to be used locally to produce hydrogen, synthetic fuels or heat, for example. But this still requires some regulatory changes at the federal level, according to the report. "We must not have to wait for grid expansion to happen to use the renewable energy sources that we already have available today," Hamburg mayor and state premier Peter Tschentscher said at a meeting after a federal state conference.

Germany’s renewable roll-out has been slowed down by insufficient grid capacities. Most experts agree that new grid connections are necessary to transport renewable energy from Germany’s windy north to industrial centres in the south of the country, but construction has been hampered by local protest. Earlier this week, several German states and the federal government reached an agreement on key aspects of the transmission grid expansion.