Dependent on Putin?

Habeck (almost) rules out a nuclear and coal comeback – the head of state sounds the alarm

Created: 2022-02-28Updated: 2022-02-28 09:33

By: Florian Naumann

Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck on Sunday in the ARD "Report from Berlin".

© Screenshot: ARD media library

The Ukraine conflict is also hitting Germany hard - at least indirectly.

Economics Minister Habeck does not want to rely on coal and nuclear.

A Prime Minister warns.

Berlin/Moscow - The Ukraine war could pose a very practical problem for Germany in the foreseeable future: the Federal Republic is heavily dependent on gas imports from Russia.

However, it remains to be seen whether this will still exist after Russia has been banned from the Swift system.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), however, wants to do without longer running times for coal and nuclear power plants.

Ukraine war: Germany depends on Putin's gas - Habeck sees no solution through nuclear power

His ministry is examining this option, Habeck said on Sunday on the ARD program "Report from Berlin": "There are no taboos." Nevertheless, the following applies: "Letting it run longer means longer dependence on hard coal from Russia." If Germany uses coal elsewhere buy, a different dependency would arise.

The way out is to phase out fossil fuels.

With regard to the last three nuclear power plants still in operation, the preliminary examination by his ministry showed that this would also not be a way out.

"I wouldn't ideologically resist that," said Habeck.

But: "Nuclear power would not help us for the winter of 2022/23." The preparations for the upcoming shutdowns are so far advanced that the nuclear power plants could continue to be operated "only with the greatest safety concerns and possibly with unsecured fuel supplies".

"And we certainly don't want that."

Ukraine conflict: Habeck warns Putin - "The Kremlin knows that too"

Germany can do without Russian gas for this winter and summer, but the purchasing strategy must be significantly expanded for next winter.

"The most important step would then of course be to reduce gas hunger as much as possible," said Habeck.

A plan for this will be presented soon.

"I can give the all-clear for the medium and near term," said the Green.

Habeck was confident that Russia will meet its delivery obligations - because it needs the income.

"Should Russia wantonly cut these supplies, then of course the decision has been made - then they will never be restored.

I think the Kremlin knows that too, Putin knows that too.”

Russia's gas and coal: Prime Minister Haseloff warns - "Irresponsible"

In view of the war in Ukraine, Saxony-Anhalt's Minister President Reiner Haseloff warned against a rapid exit from coal.

The German energy supply is endangered in the course of the Ukraine crisis, the CDU politician told the

.

“The consequences will be significant.

We must recognize that we are disproportionately dependent on Russia for energy supplies.

55 percent of the natural gas in Germany, almost 100 percent in East Germany, comes from Russia.”

He believes that Habeck's goal of completely phasing out coal-fired power generation by 2030 is increasingly unrealistic.

"I think it's irresponsible to want to switch off German coal-fired power plants quickly in this situation." It's still possible to get through this winter well.

Haseloff fears, however, that a long-term conflict with Russia, which is also being fought over the supply of raw materials, will inevitably lead to a deterioration in the standard of living and quality of life in Germany.

"The federal government now needs a clear plan of action in this matter." Saxony-Anhalt is a lignite-producing country.

Ukraine war and the consequences: Habeck wants to become independent from Russia

Habeck's Ministry of Economic Affairs recently presented a multi-point plan.

This is how the exit should succeed according to the plans of the traffic light department head:

• Establishment of a gas reserve:

  In Germany there is a strategic oil reserve which, according to the paper, holds petroleum and petroleum products in the amounts imported into Germany in a 90-day period.

  There is no such reserve for gas, but that should change.

  Habeck wants to oblige the owners of the gas storage facilities to comply with certain filling levels in order to strengthen the security of supply.

• Development of a coal reserve:

  The proportion of coal from Russia is around 50 percent, it is used to generate electricity in the hard coal-fired power plants.

  According to Habeck's plans, coal supplies should also be diversified and dependency on imports reduced.

  Together with the power plant operators, the procurement and reserve formation of coal is now to be promoted.

• Setting up an LNG terminal:

  There are many terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the EU, which come from the USA or Qatar, for example.

  But Habeck wants to push ahead with the construction of its own German LNG terminal *.

  The gas industry criticizes that the investment framework has been difficult so far.

  The ministry's paper states that financial state support should be examined.

  The plant, which stores LNG in liquefied form and converts it into gaseous natural gas if necessary, must be built in such a way that it is "hydrogen-ready".

  This means that the plant can also be used in the future to handle climate-friendly hydrogen.

  However: LNG is more expensive than Russian natural gas.

• Expansion of green electricity:

  The central and most difficult task.

  The lynchpin in efforts to become less dependent on Russian imports is the expansion of green electricity from wind and sun.

  But that takes years and there are many obstacles that Habeck now wants to break down.

  Claudia Kemfert, energy expert at the German Institute for Economic Research, said: "We are currently paying the price for the delayed energy transition."

• Coal and nuclear phase-out:

  This is a controversial issue.

  Three nuclear power plants in Germany will continue to supply electricity until the end of 2022, when they will be taken off the grid and the phase-out of nuclear power will be completed.

  The phasing out of climate-damaging coal-fired power generation has also started with power plant shutdowns - so far it is planned to be phased in by 2038 at the latest.

  An earlier phase-out of coal is controversial, especially in eastern German countries with lignite mining areas.

  
  
  

  So far, however, there have been no signals from the Habeck Ministry to give up the goal of an earlier phase-out of coal.

  The paper states that the best medium-term answer to Russia's import dependency is to phase out coal, which will be phased in by 2030.

  There are no signals from the federal government to change the timetable for the nuclear phase-out either.

  
  
  

  From Greenpeace's point of view, it would also make no sense to let nuclear and coal-fired power plants run longer.

  "Natural gas is mainly burned in private boilers, nuclear or coal power are not a substitute here," explained Gerald Neubauer, an energy expert at the environmental organization.

  Instead, an offensive for renewable thermal energy and better insulation of houses is needed.

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