German government, states aim to speed up energy transition - report

Nov 27, 2012 - The German Economy Ministry and the respective bodies in the states of Bavaria and Hesse aim to create more favourable framework conditions for speeding up the planned energy turnaround in the country.

The ministries are thus presenting various possibilities for easing the planning and approval processes for new electricity networks and power plants, daily Handelsblatt reported today, citing a ministerial plan which was prepared with the participation of the European Commission Directorate for Energy.

The new concept of the Federal Economy Ministry and the two German states is aimed to answer the growing concerns that the energy transition is at risk because the approval procedures for new electricity networks and power plants are taking too much time. Furthermore, the approval practices vary in the different German states, which makes it even harder for the respective parties to take action and boost the expansion of renewable energy. European environmental requirements create an additional obstacle for the energy transition, the ministries said.

Following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011, Germany made a U-turn in its energy policy and decided to shut down all its 17 nuclear reactors by 2022.

However, there is great uncertainty regarding the connection of new power plants to the grid, which on the other hand, needs to be significantly expanded.

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