[Correction] Diesel summit: 'Mickey Mouse policies' - DUH / 'Swiss take their time'
Deutsche Welle / DUH
The diesel summit agreement from 2 August to upgrade software in five million vehicles, set up a mobility fund, and offer buyer鈥檚 bonuses can be described as 鈥淢ickey Mouse policies鈥� that may cut harmful emissions by five percent at best, Jens Thurau quoted Environmental Action Germany (DUH) head J眉rgen Resch as saying, in an article for Deutsche Welle. Many diesel car owners have realised 鈥渢hat the placebo software updates won鈥檛 prevent their cars from being affected by driving bans鈥�, said Resch in a press release. DUH has called on all political parties to make clear before the September general elections if they were willing to push for the measures necessary to enable cities to comply with air quality limits, including 鈥渄irty diesel vehicle鈥� driving bans.
Read the article in English and the DUH press release in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 articles German carmakers pledge diesel software updates and buyer鈥檚 bonus and Why the German diesel summit matters for climate and energy, and the factsheet The debate over an end to combustion engines in Germany.
Tagesspiegel / BDEW
Stefan Kapferer, managing director of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW), has called on the German government to show 鈥渁 clear commitment to gas鈥� in the country鈥檚 energy supply system, writes Dagmar Dehmer in Tagesspiegel. The energy industry itself must better highlight the 鈥済reen potential鈥� of gas and the associated technological possibilities, said Kapferer in a press release. BDEW has published the results of a survey of politicians, civil society, scientists, and journalists on the role of natural gas in Germany. A large majority of respondents said it would play a very important role in industry and the heating sector in the future, but only very few said it would do so in mobility.
Read the article in German , the BDEW press release in German , and the survey results in German .
Climate Home
Despite public denials, the European Commission is considering implementing an e-car quota to be achieved by automakers by 2030, writes Arthur Nelson for Climate Home. 鈥淚t is looking increasingly likely that [the Commission] will come forward with a proposal of that sort for 2025 and 2030, probably including plug-in hybrids鈥�, a source told Climate Home. The issue is fraught with problems, especially in Germany, where carmakers remain a 鈥減owerful political force鈥�, writes Nelson.
Read the article in English .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 factsheet The debate over an end to combustion engines in Germany and the 威力彩玩法 dossier The Energiewende and German carmakers.
Rheinische Post
Due to the low number of applications for e-car buyer鈥檚 premium, the German federal government should rededicate unused funds to expanding the country鈥檚 charging infrastructure, Andreas Obersteller, head of the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), told Birgit Marschall for Rheinische Post. Up to 200 million of the 600 million euros could, for example, be offered to those applying for the buyer鈥檚 premium to help them set up a charging point at their house or company, said Obersteller.
Read the article in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 article Federal government decides on 4,000 euro buyer's premium for e-cars and the dossiers The energy transition and Germany鈥檚 transport sector and The Energiewende and German carmakers.
dpa / Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
In spring this year, Switzerland decided to pursue an energy transition strategy, but the country will take its time phasing out nuclear power, writes the news agency dpa in an article carried by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Switzerland is already able to cover 60 percent of its power demand with hydro energy, but an alternative is needed for nuclear power, which represents 30 percent, writes dpa. The ongoing melting of glaciers is projected to limit the availability of hydro energy in the future, the article notes.
In May 2017, voters in Switzerland opted for a new energy law that aims to promote renewable energy, bans the construction of new nuclear plants, and fosters greater energy efficiency.
Read the article in German .
S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
Germany鈥檚 Energiewende will not succeed 鈥渇ast and easy鈥�, and the country鈥檚 energy supply will continue to depend on lignite for some time, said Brandenburg鈥檚 state economy minister Albrecht Gerber in an interview with S眉ddeutsche Zeitung. 鈥淚 do know that we need to exit lignite. But we鈥檙e not at that point in Germany yet鈥�, said Gerber. For now, Germany鈥檚 energy policy can be likened to 鈥渁 kind of planned economy micro-control鈥�, which had 鈥渁lready failed in the GDR鈥�, according to Gerber. Back in July, Gerber 聽that Brandenburg would lower its 2030 climate targets. This was because the state had more transport and economic growth than expected and was not able to use carbon capture and storage (CCS) as planned, Gerber said in the interview.
Find the interview in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 factsheet When will Germany finally ditch coal?
German Wind Energy Association (BWE)
With projects officially defined as citizens鈥� energy again dominating the second onshore wind auction, the risk of not reaching the expansion targets after 2018 increases, writes the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) in a press release. 鈥淲e see the danger that the development of auction results leads to a slump in wind energy expansion in 2019 and 2020鈥�, writes BWE. It was unclear how the low prices influenced the actual realisation of projects successful in the auctions, which meant a lot of pressure and uncertainty for manufacturers and suppliers of turbines, writes BWE.
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 article Citizens鈥� energy projects dominate first onshore wind power auction and the 威力彩玩法 dossier Onshore Wind Power in Germany.
pv magazine / NATURSTROM
Green power provider NATURSTROM offers combinations of solar PV arrays and power storages for lease, reports Sandra Enkhardt in pv magazine. 鈥淐onsumers can now use home-made power without having to stem the initial costs or worrying about maintenance鈥�, the company writes in a press release. NATURSTROM sets up the array, takes care of service and insurance, and shoulders the investment costs, and then leases the array to customers for 18 years.
Read the article in German and the press release in German .
