In the media: Nuclear "a total fiasco", companies want grid extensions

Handelsblatt

“Nuclear Energy? Never Again!”

The history of nuclear energy in Germany is a total fiasco, write Jürgen Flauger and Klaus Stratmann in a “closing balance sheet” in business daily Handelsblatt. The technology is too risky and too expensive, and now taxpayers might have to bear the financial consequences, argue the authors in their article exceeding 4,000 words. “Germany should never have got involved in this adventure, which might end up costing hundreds of billions of euros.”

Find the article in German here (behind paywall).

Read a CLEW dossier on the challenges of Germany's nuclear phase-out here.

Find the factsheet “Nuclear clean-up costs” here.

Handelsblatt

“Nuclear at state orders”

The energy ministry’s probe has revealed that utilities' nuclear provisions might fall short of requirements by billions of euros, writes Franz Hubik in Handelsblatt. Utilities argue the state should share the costs of the clean-up. Hubik writes it is true that initially, the German government wanted nuclear power stations built, before the accident in Chernobyl in 1986. He says that to begin with, the utilities were very sceptical about the construction of nuclear power stations.

Find the article in German here (behind paywall).

Read the factsheet “Securing utility payments for the nuclear clean-up” here.

Süddeutsche Zeitung

“Companies push for grid extensions”

Grid extensions must be sped up according to German business, reports Süddeutsche Zeitung. “The sluggish grid extension turns into the bottleneck of the Energiewende,” Eric Schweitzer, president of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), told the newspaper. “Delays will make the Energiewende unnecessarily expensive.” A recent DIHK poll also showed grid extensions are a very high priority for companies. Schweitzer said the government’s decision this week to put more cables underground meant delays of several years and additional costs for companies.

Read the article in German here.

Read the factsheet “What business thinks of the energy transition” with details on the DIHK poll here.

See CLEW's dossier on the power grid here.

Association of Energy Market Innovators (bne)/Federation of German Consumer Organisations (VZBV)

“Limiting the rise of grid costs”

To keep the costs of grid extensions in check for consumers, more use should be made of intelligent technologies instead of conventional cables, argue the Association of Energy Market Innovators (bne), which represents the interests of grid-independent energy suppliers and energy service companies, and the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (VZBV). “The regulation model favoured by the regional states will lead to significant additional costs for consumers, without bringing additional benefits,” said bne head Robert Busch in a press release. The associations say more use should be made of savings potentials, such as caps on renewable generation peaks.  

Read the bne press release here.

EurActiv

“Dieselgate exposes member state opposition to emissions curbs”

Writing for EurActiv, Jorge Valgero reports that European car producing countries including Germany, Austria, Spain and Italy are resisting stricter limits on diesel emissions. Under an EU proposal, emissions levels would not only have to be tested in the laboratory, but also on the road – which can produce results 400 percent higher. As one in 10 vehicles is expected to fail the road tests, the EU has proposed a two-year period during which a 60 percent margin over the 80 mg/km limit for nitrogen oxide emissions would be permitted. Germany and others would like to see a longer “phase-in” period, and a margin of up to 330 percent.

See the report in English here.

BusinessGreen, International Energy Agency

“Ten billion tonnes CO2 emissions saved thanks to energy efficiency over past 25 years, says IEA”

Reporting on the IEA’s new Energy Efficiency Market Report, Jocelyn Timperley writes that Germany “boosted its trade surplus by 12 percent through avoiding $30bn (26.5 billion euros) in energy imports last year.”
The IEA report says energy intensity in Germany “has been declining but additional measures may be needed to achieve the 2050 target of reducing primary energy consumption by 50 percent compared to 2008.” The report recommends Germany increase its focus on “energy management and reporting of energy savings opportunities” and “increase efforts to improve energy efficiency in the transport sector.”

See the BusinessGreen article in English here.

See the IEA report in English here.

See CLEW’s dossier on energy efficiency in Germany here.