The traffic light government was late in realizing that cheaper industrial electricity was needed in order for Germany to remain competitive.
Now the taxpayers have to pay for the subsidies that are due.
A commentary by Georg Anastasiadis.
SPD and Greens in the traffic light government discover their heart for the companies: Germany urgently needs cheaper industrial electricity in order to stop a mass job exodus, it is suddenly warned - among others by SPD leader Klingbeil and the Green Minister of Climate Habeck.
Until recently, that sounded remarkably different.
Not only was the danger of de-industrialization associated with climate change dismissed as scaremongering, but with the end of nuclear power the price of electricity was also turned up – upwards.
And manufacturing companies were just annoying CO2 slingshots.
German electricity prices are now several times higher than in the USA or China
Now the taxpayers, who are already battered, are supposed to save the balance sheets of the corporations and the dividends of the shareholders with hundreds of billions in new subsidies, because the expansion of renewables is lagging far behind plans.
Habeck's ministry said, somewhat defensively, that they would "soon present a proposal" on the subject of industrial electricity prices.
This takes the madness of this chaotic energy transition to the extreme.
It is correct: With the electricity prices to be paid here, which are now several times higher than in the USA or China, Germany is no longer competitive on the world markets.
Then the lights go out in Habeck's pinwheel wonderland.
Only: You could know all that beforehand.
Above all, the course could have been set differently for nuclear and domestic gas deposits.
But instead of increasing the supply of electricity for the period of transition, the lobbyists and profiteers of the renewables industry in Habeck's ministry intentionally did exactly the opposite in order to put maximum pressure on the system.
Should the citizens stop sacrificing their prosperity for the sake of the climate.
FDP boss Lindner is rightly still resisting the march to the eco-state economy a la Habeck.
But that will change when the bosses in his Treasury Department beg for state bailout – combined with the hint that they would otherwise try their luck in the USA, where President Biden rolls out the red carpet for companies.
George Anastasiadis