Renewable energy leaders show mixed views on whether Germany can meet renewable targets – media

The heads of many renewable energy companies showed mixed opinions in whether Germany can meet its targets for green electricity generation, according to an article in newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine. Germany aims to cover 80 percent of its electricity consumption with renewable sources by 2030, but leaders in the solar and wind industries – which will build and operate the required technologies – are unsure whether new laws designed to facilitate the expansion of renewable energy will be enough to meet this target, the newspaper reports. The world's largest wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas, told Frankfurter Allgemeine they are “impressed by the German government's drive” towards the energy transition but have doubts whether targets for onshore and offshore wind would be achieved. IBC Solar head Udo Möhrstedt added: “The German government's legislative initiatives are going in the right direction, but they need to be massively improved in many places.”

RWE, Germany’s largest electricity producer, likes the fact that the government has set high goals for the construction of offshore wind farms despite many obstacles, according to the newspaper. In agreement, Stefan Dohler, head of energy supplier EWE, said that “The will to dismantle existing obstacles is recognisable.” However, Frank May, head of Alterric, the largest operator of onshore wind farms in Germany, said that “the energy transition is losing momentum.” This was echoed by wind turbine manufacturer Enercon, whose head, Jürgen Zeschky, said: “Under the current framework conditions, it does not seem realistic that the targets will be reached.” Moreover, there is a lack of factories, port facilities, ships and skilled workers, Siemens Gamesa Germany head Martin Gerhardt said.

Germany wants to fight the climate crisis and its heavy dependence on fossil fuel imports by speeding up the rollout of renewables with a massive overhaul of key energy legislation. In the “biggest energy policy reform in decades,” the coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) proposed to lift the rollout of wind and solar power “to a completely new level”, aiming to free up new land for green power production, speed up permit procedures, and massively increase wind and solar additions.