Fabien Bouglé is an association activist and expert in energy policy. In 2019, he was interviewed by the Assembly's parliamentary commission of inquiry on renewable energies, and published
Éoliennes, the dark face of ecological transition
(ed. Du Rocher).
Business leader in the financial and cultural sector, he is also elected municipal (various right) in Versailles.
His latest book,
Nuclear, the hidden truths,
is published by Editions du Rocher.
FIGAROVOX.- The German Economy Minister has issued a decree paving the way for the reopening of 15 coal-fired power plants, put on hold as part of its environmental policy. How to interpret this reversal?
Fabien BOUGLÉ.-
It is essential to remember that Germany is highly dependent on gas, oil and coal, which represents 66% of its primary energy consumption.
In addition, around 47% of its electricity was produced in 2021 from fossil fuels.
In short, our neighbor is particularly greedy in gas and very polluting coal, which comes for more than 50% from Russia.
In order to overcome this excessive dependence, the Germans therefore made the choice – paradoxical for the climate – to persist in phasing out nuclear power while increasing the capacities of coal-fired power stations which had been put on hold.
In March, Robert Habeck, the same Minister of the Economy, had considered postponing the exit from nuclear power, but the ruling coalition, which includes the extremist Greens, preferred to base its policy on its coal-fired electricity.
Moreover, even before the war in Ukraine, Germany had already, in 2021, been in the need to increase the production of coal-fired power plants by 22% due to the 15% drop in wind production.
Which had helped start this gas and fossil shock that we know today.
Unlike France, which is much less dependent on fossils of Russian origin, our neighbor is bound hand and foot with Russia.
Fabien Bougle
Is Berlin urgently trying to deal with a possible shortage?
The German economy is totally dependent on polluting fossil fuels and is particularly vulnerable to the war in Ukraine.
In the probable hypothesis of a radicalization of this conflict, there is therefore a very high risk that Russia will cut off the gas tap to Europe.
Germany is therefore seeking to put in place emergency alternative solutions to obtain fossil energy supplies.
Very recently, the government announced the construction in the North Sea of floating liquefied natural gas terminals to receive shale gas, particularly from the United States.
Cutting off Russian gas to Germany would have incalculable consequences with a major economic recession and indeed a potential gas shortage for individuals during the winter of 2022/2023.
This deliberate choice to combine intermittent and fossil energies had been initiated within the framework of the Energiewende policy by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in a logic of alliance with Russia.
What had also subsequently - once released from his political functions - led him to be appointed member of the board of directors of Rosneft, the first Russian oil group and of the shareholders' committee of Nord Stream 2 - the last gas pipeline built between Russia and Germany (Editor's note: which has not been put into service).
What could be the environmental consequences of this decision?
They are significant for the climate and the environment.
The need for coal or even lignite leads Germany to develop its extractions on its territory with mines which extend more and more going until engulfing whole villages.
Anti-coal demonstrations by villagers are currently organized to contest the pure and simple disappearance of their village threatened by the extension of the mines.
But the worst comes from the disastrous carbon footprint of coal-fired power plants, which produce around 1,000 g of CO2 / kWh produced, whereas a nuclear power plant only produces 6 g of CO2 / kWh produced.
This is the enormous environmental paradox of this decision.
Germany, which already had the dunce cap in Europe for its record greenhouse gas emissions, will be a major player in Europe in climate degradation and will continue to be the very poor student of the European Union and of the world.
And it is so-called ecologists who support this model, which is disastrous for the planet, to say the least!
In addition to CO2, coal-fired power plants emit a large quantity of fine particles containing mercury, uranium and substances that are very dangerous for human health.
It has been calculated that for a 1 tWh of coal-fired electricity produced there were at least 100 tonnes of fine particles evacuated into the atmosphere.
Germany multiplies to make warlike acts against our country on the subject, not hesitating to denigrate nuclear power to the European Commission.
Fabien Bougle
Germany recently opposed the “green taxonomy”, the European text which classifies nuclear power among transition energies. Why ?
In this context, Germany absolutely does not want France to do well with its nuclear advantage, which provides our country with cheap and above all non-polluting electricity.
To do so, it multiplies bellicose acts against our country on the subject, not hesitating to denigrate nuclear power to the European Commission by wishing to prevent its integration into the list called "taxonomy" of activities recognized as green in Europe.
Under the pretext that France would have 44,000 m3 of radioactive waste to treat, it wishes to destroy French nuclear power while dispersing its waste from coal-fired power plants in the European air.
A height.
Many lobbyists have been installed by our neighbor in Brussels to prevent France from developing and financing its new generation of nuclear power plants.
Germany puts itself in battle order.
She recently appointed Jennifer Morgan, an American who had just become naturalized German for this purpose and patron of Greenpeace World, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for international climate policy.
In France itself, our neighbor does not hesitate to set up a wind and anti-nuclear lobby in the very premises of the Energy and Climate Department, responsible for our energy policy.
This Franco-German Office for Ecological Transition (OFATE) acts in broad daylight within our ministries to influence our energy policy and give priority to the German model.
Read alsoBernard Accoyer: “The French nuclear industry has been very weakened”
What purpose ?
The reduction of French nuclear power is a priority objective for Germany for many reasons.
First of all insofar as the reduction of our nuclear fleet forces us to find alternatives such as wind turbines coupled with fossil fuels.
As Germany has installed 65% of the wind turbines in France and it owns 45% of the wind turbine operating companies in our country, it has in a way taken over – in our country – our electricity production.
Before the closure of Fessenheim, we exported 12 tWh of clean electricity to our neighbours, since then we have been forced to import 12 tWh of dirty electricity.
While nuclear power provides France with cheap electricity and ensures France's industrial competitiveness,
Finally, nuclear power provides France with greater energy autonomy, contributing to its political and economic sovereignty.
The fathers of French nuclear power, de Gaulle, Pompidou, Messmer and his Minister of Defense Robert Galley had lived through the 39-45 war and knew that it was a crucial issue for our geopolitical and military independence.
French nuclear power is not simply a tool for producing electricity, it is a major geopolitical weapon which makes France, despite its small size and population, a player of global influence.
And Germany cannot bear it.
Also, it must be protected and defended at all costs as an essential heritage of the nation.
Wanting to continue installing German wind turbines on the pretext that new nuclear reactors take too long to build is a major geopolitical mistake.
Fabien Bougle
Presenting Germany as at economic war with France, isn't that excessive?
Germany is not conducting a lobbying operation against French nuclear power.
This country, and we must be aware of it, has declared a veritable anti-nuclear economic and energy war against France, in the face of which the government seems helpless or even oblivious.
This conflict is also part of the context of the war in Ukraine.
Lobbyists in favor of German intermittent wind turbines are very active with French political and administrative authorities, as well as large energy companies.
And few of our fellow citizens seem to be aware of this situation.
The situation is untenable and leads to decisions that go against the higher interests of the nation.
Wanting to continue installing German wind turbines on the pretext that new nuclear reactors take too long to build is a major geopolitical error.
France has many strengths and must not let it go.
