Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) has cautioned Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) against hindering the continued expansion of renewable energy sources. In an interview with the “Rheinische Post” Schneider emphasized the importance of making the energy transition more efficient, but not slowing its pace.
He underscored that increasing renewable energy generation capacity is the initial step, but stressed the need for policies prioritizing grid infrastructure, energy storage solutions and the dynamic interaction between supply and demand in real-time. Schneider warned against any actions that might impede this ongoing development.
Building on the current advantage gained through renewable energy deployment, Schneider highlighted the decreasing costs of wind and solar power as a competitive edge. He advocates for maintaining this growth trajectory and strategically planning for the future. He also expressed confidence in the Federal Network Agency’s ability to manage grid expansion effectively and minimize political intervention.
Economics Minister Reiche is scheduled to present the Energy Transition Monitoring Report next week, which she intends to use as a basis for future expansion plans covering renewable and other energy sources. These plans come amidst recent suggestions by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) about potentially slowing the expansion of wind and solar power.
Recent climate science calculations, according to the “Climate Action Tracker” indicate that Germany’s current climate protection measures put the country on a path towards limiting global warming to below two degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the International Court of Justice has recently clarified that states may face legal claims for climate damages if the 1.5-degree threshold is exceeded.
