Energiewende boosts engineering companies / Gas supplies fall
German Engineering Federation (VDMA)
A majority of engineering companies believe the Energiewende is good for their own business and good for Germany as a business location, according to a poll by the German Engineering Federation (VDMA). Approval rates rose considerably last year, with 63 percent of companies saying the energy transition already had a positive impact on their business, and 73 percent saying it will have a positive impact in the future. But companies remained unhappy with the government: 80 percent said they were dissatisfied with the energy transition's current political implementation, according to the survey.
Find the survey in German .
Find other polls in the 威力彩玩法 factsheet What business thinks of the energy transition.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Strong heating demand caused by low temperatures halved the filling level of German gas holders to 36 percent within eight weeks, reports Andreas Mihm for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Uniper, the fossil spin-off from utility E.ON, warns a long winter could lead to a 鈥渃ritical supply situation in Germany.鈥� Uniper CEO Klaus Sch盲fer told the newspaper gas holder operators faced significant economic pressure, because legislation does not sufficiently appreciate their role. But utility association BDEW said there was no need to worry for households. The economics and energy ministry (BMWi) told the newspaper there were no signs of supply disruptions, adding the change in filling levels indicated a fully functioning and liquid market for natural gas.
Read the article in German .
For background, read the 威力彩玩法 dossier The Energiewende and its implications for international security and the factsheet 骋别谤尘补苍测鈥檚 dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Berliner Zeitung
Climate protection is part of the Green Party鈥檚 鈥渃ore profile鈥�, which makes it a prime campaign topic in the upcoming 聽federal elections, scheduled for autumn, Winfried Kretschmann, state premier of Baden Wurttemberg told Berliner Zeitung. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see that this is something that occupies the minds of the other parties. So we have a big opportunity to push in between,鈥� said Kretschmann.
Read the article in German .
Find background in the 威力彩玩法 Dossier Vote2017 鈥� German elections and the Energiewende.
Frankfurter Rundschau
骋别谤尘补苍测鈥檚 fracking law, which takes effect today, is a setback for climate protection, argues Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) climate expert Ann-Kathrin Schneider in a guest commentary for Frankfurter Rundschau. 鈥淭o limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius, the focus must be on the fast roll-out of renewables, drastic energy savings, and improvements in energy efficiency, but not an increase of natural gas extraction with the accompanying increase in CO2 emissions.鈥�
Read a 威力彩玩法 factsheet on Germany's dependence on imported fossil fuels.
Neue Osnabr眉cker Zeitung
German federal state governments are unlikely to allow hydraulic fracking test drillings on their land, writes Dirk Fisser in Neue Osnabr眉cker Zeitung. The newspaper had asked representatives of state governments about their willingness to carry out one of the four test drillings that are allowed under . Only Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania 鈥渃ould not totally rule out鈥� drillings in the future, writes Fisser. Thus 鈥� besides the general ban on unconventional fracking 鈥� 鈥渆ven [the test drillings] will likely not be carried out鈥� in Germany, writes Fisser.
Read the article in German .
pv magazine
骋别谤尘补苍测鈥檚 regional governments believe the country should give higher priority to the development of power storage technology, according to a resolution by the council of federal state governments (the Bundesrat), reports pv magazine. The states are calling on the government to develop a strategy both for large and smaller decentralised storage facilities. A Bundesrat resolution does not have any binding character, and the government can decide whether to act on it or not.
Read the article in German .
Find background in the 威力彩玩法 dossier New technologies for the Energiewende and the factsheet How can Germany keep the lights on in a renewable energy future?
German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP)
Germany and Poland are crucial for filling the EU energy union with substance, but controversies over differing interests have stalled progress in energy policy cooperation, according to a paper from the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). A better energy cooperation between the two countries, for example on electric cars, efficiency, and renewable projects, could improve security and sustainability, the authors argue.
Find the paper in English .
German Bundestag
Social Democrat and former German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was elected President of Germany with 931 of 1239 valid votes by the Federal Convention of the Bundestag and state parliament delegates in Berlin. In his acceptance speech, Steinmeier told Germans: "Let's be brave, because then I will not fear for the future.鈥� The current coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD, as well as the Green Party and the Free Democrats had announced before the vote that they would support Steinmeier. Steinmeier will begin his term on 19 March. As foreign minister, Steinmeier had called the Energiewende 鈥渢he German 鈥楳an-to-the-Moon鈥� project.鈥�
Read the press release in German and read a Reuters article on the topic in English .
