Because of the gas crisis, the Bundestag has paved the way to temporarily use more coal-fired power plants to generate electricity. At the same time, late Thursday night, lawmakers decided to ease state aid for struggling energy companies like Uniper. As an option, a pay-as-you-go system can also be created so that gas price increases for energy providers can be passed on to customers more evenly. However, the federal government wants to avoid this instrument having to be used.
Amendments to the law passed by the Bundestag are expected to be approved by the Bundesrat on Friday. They are a reaction to the severe strangulation of Russian gas supply through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. To save gas, less gas must now be used to produce electricity. Instead, coal-fired plants are to be used for a transitional period, which are currently only available on a limited basis, are about to be closed, or are in reserve. The Federal Ministry of Economy had already announced that it would prepare the necessary ministerial regulations in parallel to activate the so-called gas replacement reserve.
The Bundestag rejected an amendment by the Union parliamentary group that aimed to extend the lifespan of nuclear power plants. The CDU and CSU proposed that the federal government continue to operate the three remaining German nuclear plants in addition to the coal-fired plants. The FDP has recently campaigned for this – but the Free Democrats have been unable to assert themselves against the SPD and the Greens in the coalition.
Green chief of Habeck constituency resigns in protest
In protest against the nature conservation policy of Federal Economy Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), the district chief of the Greens resigned in his constituency. Just hours after the approval of the new legislative package to promote renewable energy in the Bundestag, Bündnis 90/Grüne Schleswig-Flensburg district president Rainer Borcherding announced on Thursday evening: “I support efforts to accelerate transition at all essential points.” But: “The new federal-level wind and nature conservation laws, in which Robert Habeck played an important role as Minister of Economic Affairs, are unbearable in their effects on biodiversity.”
Biologist Borcherding told the German press agency: “It’s a big overall package of serious disappointments from a nature conservation point of view.” He has known Habeck for a long time and has also campaigned with him on the streets. “I always had the impression that nature conservation was not a matter of the heart for him.” There is no party dedicated to nature conservation except the Greens – “and the Greens don’t do it either”.
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The new legislative package contains a series of cuts to nature conservation, wrote Borcherding, who works for the protection of the Wadden Sea in Schleswig-Holstein, in his resignation. Endangered bird species, such as the black stork and the bustard, are deliberately ignored by law, even though they are legally protected across Europe. In addition, it is almost impossible to buy agricultural land for species conservation programs. E: The smallest hydroelectric plants on the rivers, “which only generate minimal electricity but damage the river as much as possible”, would continue to be subsidized, contrary to EU law.