No to nuclear power compared to the EU - gas as a bridging technology

Created: 01/22/2022, 03:10

The Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant.

(Archive image) © Charly Triballeau/AFP/dpa

The EU is arguing about whether gas and nuclear power should be considered “sustainable” in the future.

Germany takes a very clear position on one issue - and sets conditions on another.

Berlin - The federal government is clearly opposed to the EU Commission classifying nuclear power as sustainable and is calling for higher requirements for gas as a temporary solution.

This emerges from your statement on the controversial Commission plans for the so-called taxonomy, which is available to the German Press Agency and which was sent to Brussels on Friday evening.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (both Greens) told the dpa: "As the federal government, we have once again clearly expressed our rejection of the inclusion of nuclear energy." It is risky and expensive, and there are also legal concerns.

In the gas sector, more precise information was given to the Commission.

From the Federal Government's point of view, separate limit values ​​are needed for district heating networks and the replacement of old gas-fired power plants with new ones.

"Should the delegated legal act remain unchanged and the Commission ignore the critical opinions of a number of member states, including ours, Germany should, in our opinion, reject it," emphasized the two Greens ministers.

Green under certain conditions

The EU Commission's proposal provides for gas and nuclear power plants to be classified as "green" investments under certain conditions.

The "taxonomy" defines which areas of the economy are considered climate-friendly.

Citizens and investors should receive clear information about sustainable financial products - this should help to mobilize the billions needed for climate change.

Germany and the 26 other EU member states had until midnight on Friday to comment on the Commission's proposal.

The Commission then wants to turn the draft into an official so-called delegated act - and thus initiate the next step towards implementation.

In its statement, Germany is now clearly formulating: “From the point of view of the federal government, nuclear energy is not sustainable.” Serious accidents endangering people and the environment cannot be ruled out.

In addition, nuclear energy is expensive and the final storage issue has not been resolved.

"The longer nuclear power plants run, the bigger the problem of nuclear waste becomes," argues the federal government.

Overall, there are legal concerns: it is doubtful whether the inclusion of nuclear energy is compatible with the requirements of the Taxonomy Ordinance.

Fossil gas for the transition

In the long term, the federal government writes, the use of natural gas is not sustainable either. However, fossil gas in ultra-modern and efficient gas-fired power plants forms a bridge for a transitional period to enable a faster phase-out of coal and save CO2 in the short term. Germany had clearly supported the inclusion of gas in the taxonomy in the past.

The statement now states that gas will be necessary as a bridge until the gas energy system can be based on renewable energies in the medium term.

Realistic conditions are important, however, so that this conversion is not hindered.

The federal government is calling for more flexibility when it comes to the planned conversion of gas-fired power plants to hydrogen.

The quotas envisaged by the Commission are too rigid in view of the expected shortages in the early days.

Environmental groups had called on the federal government to resolutely reject the EU plans for both gas and nuclear power.

Among other things, they fear that the classification will result in "wrong incentives" and disadvantages for renewable energies.

Few countries refuse classification

But stopping the plans could be difficult: A spokesman for the EU Commission explained that the Brussels authority would study feedback from EU countries and officially accept the proposal "as soon as possible".

Only a majority of at least 20 states or members of the European Parliament could slow him down - which is currently not apparent.

According to research by the dpa, at least eleven member states, including France, Poland and Hungary, expressly support the plans.

Only a few countries, such as Austria, Spain and Denmark, reject the planned classifications.

Austria and Luxembourg are even considering taking legal action against it.

At the end of its statement, the Federal Government reports criticism of the decision-making process.

"In view of the very fundamental and political importance of the issues dealt with here", a regular legislative procedure would be more suitable, since this would have ensured "appropriate opportunities for influence" for the EU states and the European Parliament.

However, the EU states and parliament had decided on this procedure themselves in an earlier regulation in 2020.

Lemke criticizes natural gas classification

Lemke had previously criticized the classification of gas. "I am convinced that classification as sustainable in the taxonomy is not necessary for either natural gas or nuclear power," she told the dpa. Even if Germany is dependent on natural gas for "a short transition period", it does not need a sustainability seal at EU level, she explained.

Lukas Köhler, the deputy leader of the coalition partner FDP, sees things differently.

"Investments in gas are sustainable if the switch to climate-friendly hydrogen is ensured in the long term," said Köhler of the dpa.

Germany is "well advised to distinguish between gas and nuclear energy".

The inclusion of gas in the so-called EU taxonomy is also a question of security of supply.

"The security of supply cannot be guaranteed without a massive expansion of gas-fired power plants," said Köhler.

more on the subject

Lemke: "Nuclear power is anything but sustainable"

Sustainable nuclear power?

Government seeks line on EU plans

Brussels wants to classify gas and nuclear power as green

The association of municipal companies also campaigned for support for future gas-fired power plants.

"These power plants primarily ensure the expansion of weather-dependent renewable energies and thus also enable the phase-out of coal," said VKU Managing Director Ingbert Liebing.

Including these "transformation power plants" in the EU taxonomy is "in Germany's very own interest".

dpa