Energy prices have risen, and at the same time efforts to protect the climate are to be increased.
What do the campaigning parties want?
And what does that mean for citizens?
Berlin - Climate protection costs many billions - not only for the state, but also for the citizens.
Refueling and heating with fossil fuels have already become significantly more expensive because of the CO2 price.
In addition, electricity prices have risen significantly in recent years. In their election manifestos, the parties are now promising the citizens billions in relief. The focus: the EEG surcharge to promote green electricity. "We have to be very careful that there are no social imbalances in the implementation of our climate targets," said Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) of the German Press Agency.
"In the city, for example, it is much easier to use public transport than in rural regions, where many people depend on their cars," said Altmaier. Pensioners and commuters in particular are therefore dependent on social compensation. "It is not about less climate protection, but more about more climate protection combined with more social equality," said the Minister of Economic Affairs. The abolition of the EEG surcharge could be a first step.
The EEG surcharge finances the promotion of green electricity systems in Germany. Along with other taxes, production costs and network charges, it is an essential part of the electricity bill. So that the surcharge under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) does not increase drastically, the federal government had stabilized it for 2021 and 2022 with taxpayers' money from the budget worth billions. This will result in 6.5 cents per kilowatt hour this year and 6 cents next year.
“It's about enormous sums that we can raise,” said Altmaier.
The expansion of renewable energies is already costing a high double-digit billion amount every year, and there are additional costs.
"As in the past, we can do that without significantly reducing individual or social prosperity," promised Altmaier.
In the past 50 years it has repeatedly been possible to compensate for higher burdens from rising wages and income.
"In other words: if the economy grows vigorously, it can also better cope with the costs of more climate protection."
In their election manifestos all major parties promise to abolish or reduce the EEG surcharge:
THE UNION: It says: “We will return the income from emissions trading in full to the citizens and businesses by means of electricity reductions.
First of all, we will abolish the EEG surcharge. "
DIE SPD: You want to have the surcharge gone by 2025 and finance it with income from CO2 pricing from the federal budget.
"The price of electricity has to fall, because it should be attractive to switch to clean electricity," said SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz of the German press agency.
He reckons that a family can save more than 300 euros a year in this way.
DIE GRÜNEN: You want to return the income from the CO2 price directly to the citizens via energy money and lower the EEG surcharge.
THE OTHER PREVIOUS OPPOSITION PARTIES: The FDP wants to abolish the EEG surcharge and lower the electricity tax to the lowest possible rate under EU law.
The Left is striving to finance the promotion of renewable energies through the federal budget instead of the EEG surcharge and to lower the electricity tax.
The AfD also wants to cancel the EEG surcharge.
Only: the situation of the federal budget is tense because of the Corona crisis.
Are the CO2 revenues sufficient for counter-financing?
The EEG surcharge is around 25 billion euros - per year.
According to calculations by the consumer portal Verivox, a three-person household with an electricity consumption of 4,000 kilowatt hours currently pays an average of EUR 1208 per year for electricity. Of this, 260 euros are due to the EEG surcharge. Together, private households in Germany paid around 8.1 billion euros for the expansion of renewable energies through the EEG surcharge.
Eliminating the surcharge would relieve households, but would not be able to compensate for the additional CO2 costs. The price of CO2 will rise gradually until 2025, so refueling and heating will be correspondingly expensive. According to Verivox calculations, a “climate bonus” of at least 58 euros per person would have to be paid out in 2025 in order to offset the additional annual costs. "After the federal election, the parties should then quickly implement the promised relief for electricity prices," said Verivox energy expert Thorsten Storck.
According to Altmaier, falling electricity prices should also lead to efforts for more climate protection in buildings. With the abolition of the EEG surcharge, the use of electric heat pumps for heating buildings will become much more attractive, he said. "So far, the climate targets in the field of building energy have not yet been achieved, that must and will change." This year alone, the federal government will approve around five billion euros for energy-efficient building renovation, almost twice as much as in the previous year.
Another key topic is the expansion of wind turbines and solar systems - the issue of solar compulsory for new buildings is being debated. Altmaier campaigned for solar systems on all new public buildings. “Existing buildings should be retrofitted as soon as possible, but by 2028 at the latest. The same should apply to commercial buildings and large rental apartment complexes. ”In the case of private houses, however, one must be careful not to make the construction project impossible through additional costs. “That's why I'm not necessarily a fan of mandatory solar power on the roofs of private houses. But I could imagine a "tolerance obligation" or investment advances, ”said Altmaier.
In the event of the obligation to tolerate, third parties such as the municipality would have the option of installing solar systems at their own expense in exchange for the owner's share in the proceeds. With the investment advance, the system would belong to the house builder, but he would have to repay a certain part of the advance with his income from the photovoltaic system. "In this way one could achieve the goals of the energy transition without interfering inappropriately with private investment freedom," said Altmaier. dpa
