Germany's new economy and climate minister Robert Habeck has outlined plans to fast track renewables in order to meet an 80% share in the power mix target by 2030.
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Register NowIn his first official press conference as minister on Jan. 11, the co-leader of the Green Party said a first package of reforms was set to pass cabinet by end-April in order to have an impact in 2023.
In detail, annual tender volumes for wind and solar are to rise to achieve the required 572 TWh in 2030, up from current trajectories for 377 TWh/year in the EEG 2021 law.
"We start with a drastic deficit as current climate protection measures are insufficient across all sectors," the minister said.
Germany is on course to miss its climate targets for 2022 and 2023, Habeck said, noting the speed of emission reductions would need to triple to meet new climate targets.
A second package of measures was planned to pass cabinet before the summer, thereafter requiring approval by the upper chamber (Bundesrat) and the European Commission.
All laws, regulations and measures required to meet 2030 climate targets under the new climate law passed in June 2021 were set to be fully approved by end-2022 with the ministry publishing a 30-page report on the current status quo and more detailed requirements that set out under the coalition treaty that forms the basis for the current coalition to 2025.
"This is a mammoth task and it will take years before we will see results, but what we do now is the basis to bring climate protection and economic wealth together," Habeck said.
Fast-track measures planned for 2022 include:
- Renewable energy law reform including an end to the EEG levy from 2023 to help offset power bill increases,
- Solar booster package, including plans for some mandatory solar on public buildings,
- Measures for approved wind areas (7 GW-9 GW) currently blocked by military, aviation constraints to advance immediately,
- Onshore wind law to make 2% of Germany's territory available for development,
- Review of hydrogen strategy including higher electrolyzer targets and support for hydrogen imports.
S&P Global Platts assessed the cost of producing renewable hydrogen via alkaline electrolysis in Europe at Eur15.02/kg ($16.96/kg) Jan. 7 (Netherlands, including capex), based on month-ahead power price, while PEM electrolysis production was assessed at Eur17.81/kg.
