Climate goals in danger: Economics Minister Reiche irritates with statements on the energy transition

Now, Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) has finally delivered: The "monitoring report" on the energy transition is out. And finally, the gigantic elephant in the room is being addressed: Achieving the climate protection targets will be "damn complex and damn challenging," said Alexander Kox, one of the authors, during the presentation of the study. Finally, an expert is speaking the uncomfortable truth. Not only politicians of all stripes, but also many scientists have been guilty of persistent neglect in the past.

Kox, head of the consulting firm BET, and his co-author Philipp Kienscherf from the University of Cologne put forward ambitious proposals for dealing with this elephant in the room. For example, better spatial control of the expansion of renewables: Wind turbines and solar parks should be built where they can be used most efficiently. A clever idea, but one that requires overcoming the partial interests of district administrators and state politicians.

Even more important is making electricity generation and consumption more flexible. Kox and Kienscherf list a host of tools here – such as the increased use of electricity storage or better control of consumption in homes and factories. The focus, however, is on the digitalization of grids and smart electricity meters. However, the installation of smart meters is facing major problems. Therefore, the authors propose, among other things, financial sanctions for grid operators who fail to fulfill their obligations: another smart idea.

During Monday's presentation, however, the impression was created for long stretches that entirely different issues were important to the wealthy: such as the controversial capture and storage of CO₂, or the tender for new gas-fired power plants that will be launched this year. She also emphasized several times that government subsidies for rooftop solar modules should be abolished. This would most likely lead to a collapse in the expansion of these systems.

Despite naming the elephants, the inconsistency between the report and the minister's statements leaves a poor impression. Key questions about the federal government's energy policy remain unanswered.

Especially since Reiche takes a disturbingly passive role on a central point – namely the development of electricity demand: She assumes and accepts that the increase here will be considerably slower than previously forecast.

It is up to the federal government to increase demand, for example, through purchase incentives for electric cars or by expanding and simplifying subsidies for heat pumps. However, simply accepting a slowdown in electrification could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Then, climate goals will definitely not be achieved.