VKU boss: “Course correction of the energy transition is more necessary than ever” | EUROtoday

Ingbert Liebing speaks for greater than 1,600 corporations, together with round 800 municipal utilities and suppliers who implement the vitality transition on web site. He considers the criticism of the vitality coverage plans of Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (CDU) to be little.

WELT: Mr. Liebing, Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche, is criticized for estimating the German electrical energy requirement for 2030 round 20 p.c decrease than the site visitors gentle authorities did. It is claimed that she exhibits that she does not likely consider within the financial restoration in Germany. Is the criticism justified?

Ingbert Liebing: Politics begins with the consideration of actuality. And the consultants and Katherina Reiche did nothing else. Germany’s electrical energy consumption has decreased steadily lately. The site visitors gentle coalition even extremely excessive within the forecast of the electrical energy requirement for 2030, however the reverse has occurred: the facility consumption has continued to lower prior to now three years, and at the moment solely 518 terawatt hours. That is the fact. And it’s the order of the Federal Minister of Economics to place the vitality transition on a practical foundation and to make sure that the vitality transition stays inexpensive. In this respect, I can’t perceive the criticism.

WELT: It is claimed that the financial system is 50 p.c psychology. And with their pessimistic forecast on the vitality requirement, wealthy temper spreads solely a foul temper amongst potential buyers.

Liebing: Investors usually are not based mostly on creativeness. That is why it’s a part of psychology for me to let extra realism cease. Many objectives of the site visitors gentle coalition, which might have precipitated extra energy consumption, are now not accessible, as we all know at present. We won’t see 15 million electrical vehicles on the streets by 2030, not 6 million warmth pumps within the buildings and no electrolysers with 10,000 megawatts. Not a single of those political objectives is on the goal path. And but the critics of Katherina Reiche demand that we must always proceed as earlier than. That wouldn’t be a smart use of scarce sources and tax cash.

WELT: In its final report on provide safety, nevertheless, the Federal Network Agency additionally accepted a excessive electrical energy requirement of 750 terawatt hours on the finish of the last decade.

Liebing: Because she was nonetheless assuming that the political aim of 15 million electrical vehicles would even be achieved. Today there are barely 1.5 million electrical vehicles on the road. The electrical energy requirement isn’t determined politically and never after what’s psychologically fascinating. If Katherina now assumes a electrical energy requirement of over 600 terawatt hours, that is nonetheless a rise of just about 20 p.c in simply 5 years. That must be applied on web site.

WELT: Can we save costly community growth if we assume a decrease energy consumption?

Liebing: This implies that little will be saved within the quick time period. Our municipal utilities know that you’ll have to double community capacities within the subsequent few years. That is a big chunk. But after that it goes on. In perspective, we converse of tripling or quadruiting the capacities. If we needed to construct that in a really quick time as a result of we assume that we’re unrealistically excessive, this can drive up the costs for no motive. The sooner I’ve to construct, the dearer it will get as a result of the provide available on the market doesn’t develop and demand will increase. We have already got issues getting sure elements available on the market. Therefore, a practical client forecast for value effectivity is so essential.

WELT: The critics additionally say that the Minister of Economic Affairs merely drawn the incorrect conclusions from the inconsistent monitoring report on the standing of the vitality transition: The consultants wouldn’t have described the vitality transition as unhealthy as Katherina Reiche.

Liebing: I additionally can’t perceive this criticism. The consultants commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs have summarized and in contrast current research on the vitality transition. In their vitality transition monitoring, the institutes confirmed a complete of 28 choices for motion in seven completely different areas of what will be accomplished higher. This isn’t an skilled opinion that recommends a “further together” in vitality coverage. A transparent course correction of the vitality transition in the direction of financial system is extra mandatory than ever. In order for the vitality transition to be succeeded and inexpensive, the ministry ought to now shortly current the primary draft legal guidelines in order that the dialogue turns into concrete, choices are made, corporations will obtain planning safety and we’ll act.

This article was for the world and “Business Insider Germany“Created.

Daniel Wetzel is an financial editor in Berlin. He stories on the vitality business and local weather coverage. In 2007 it was awarded the Robert Mayer Prize by the Association of German Engineers (VDI) and by the Energy Economic Institute on the University of Cologne in 2009 with the Theodor Wessels Prize.