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Even with expensive energy, it should be possible to turn up the heating next winter
Photo: Christian Ohde / IMAGO
Significantly less natural gas is flowing to Germany since Russia's largest supplier Gazprom drastically reduced the maximum daily deliveries.
There is a risk of empty stores in winter.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck now wants to regulate energy saving by law "if necessary".
There are alternative proposals from politics, business, industry and the trade unions.
The "Wirtschaftsweise" Veronika Grimm calls for the introduction of bonuses for consumers who use gas sparingly.
One "should urgently advertise premiums for households that drastically reduce their gas consumption in the coming winter," said the member of the Advisory Council for the Assessment of Overall Economic Development of the "Rheinische Post".
The potential is great, but you have to communicate early on that it's worth it, said the economist.
"Before resorting to statutory savings measures, as brought into play by Economics Minister Robert Habeck, one should leverage the potential that is possible through incentives," said Grimm.
Industry President Siegfried Russwurm called for temporarily relying more on coal energy.
"My appeal is: stop gas-fired power generation now and get the coal-fired power plants out of the reserve immediately," Russwurm told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
"If the supply situation in the summer is actually as difficult as it is currently perceived, we must take this option immediately." The import of electricity from neighboring countries has its limits, added the President of the Federation of German Industries.
Whether Germany generates more coal now or in the winter is "not significant for CO2 emissions, but at least we can secure higher filling levels in the gas storage facilities," argued Russwurm.
It is now “about short-term bridging measures to secure the energy supply”, not about the general phase-out of coal.
According to previous plans of the governing coalition, this should be brought forward from 2038 to 2030.
CDU presidium member Jens Spahn is also calling for the immediate switch from gas to coal-fired power plants.
»In order to fill the gas storage tanks, gas consumption has to go down in the summer.
Therefore, more coal and fewer gas-fired power plants should finally be running," said deputy Union faction leader Spahn of the Reuters news agency.
"Instead of asking the Germans to freeze, Habeck should first act here himself," he says, alluding to the debate about lowering the heating temperature in apartments.
»Social hardship must be avoided in all legal obligations«
The chairwoman of the German trade union federation, Yasmin Fahimi, said with regard to Russia's "gradual gas supply stop";
“The prospect of an unconcernedly warm winter is dwindling.
In this emergency situation we will feel all cuts.
Social hardship must be avoided in all legal obligations.«
Greenpeace energy expert Reenie Vietheer told the dpa news agency about the debate about saving energy: "It's good if the heating is more careful." Even one degree less saves six percent of energy.
»But not only consumers have to save, but also the industry.
Economics Minister Habeck should now also leverage the enormous savings potential in industry.« With better insulation and more heat pumps, industry can now save gas.
»The economy needs one thing above all: a regulatory framework that will quickly lead you away from gas.«
The Federal Network Agency once again described the gas supply situation in Germany as “tense”.
The gas supply is stable at the moment, according to a report.
Security of supply in Germany is currently guaranteed.
On Friday, the Federal Network Agency described the gas supply situation as “tense” in its daily report for the first time since the end of March.
The Russian energy company Gazprom had previously throttled the gas flows through the Nord Stream pipeline to 40 percent of the maximum capacity.
Economics Minister Habeck does not rule out legal measures as a consequence of the reduced Russian gas supplies.
On Thursday evening, the Greens politician had not ruled out in the ARD daily topics that it could also be about reducing the prescribed minimum temperature in apartments.
A spokesman for Habeck did not name any specific measures on Friday and spoke of an examination.
svs/dpa/AFP/Reuters
