As of: March 8, 2024, 7:39 a.m
By: Marcel Reich
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The Federal Audit Office sees the energy transition in danger.
The traffic light government must act, otherwise the ambitious project risks failing.
Berlin – Slow network expansion and electricity costs that are too high for consumers and industry: From the perspective of the Federal Audit Office, the traffic light coalition is not on track with the energy transition.
“The measures taken so far to implement the energy transition are insufficient and therefore pose serious risks for the energy policy goals,” said Court of Audit President Kay Scheller on Thursday in Berlin.
The basis for the criticism is a new special report from his company on the implementation of the energy transition in electricity supply.
“The federal government must react immediately, otherwise the energy transition risks failing,” it says.
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) reacted with incomprehension.
Economics Minister Habeck received the bad news during a trip to the US capital Washington.
© Britta Pedersen/dpa
Court of Auditors on the energy transition: Massive criticism of the traffic light government's plans
In the report, the Court of Auditors criticizes, on the one hand, the slow expansion of renewable energies, the electricity grids and the lack of development of additional generation capacity if necessary.
Last year, the Federal Network Agency was only able to award around half of the capacity for onshore wind turbines planned for 2023 through tendering.
“The unawarded tender volume of 6.46 GW corresponds to the output of four to six lignite or nuclear power plants,” says the report.
According to the Renewable Energy Sources Act, the service not awarded must then be tendered and awarded in the following year.
However, this is not realistic at this level.
Another point of criticism is the high electricity prices.
They are therefore among the highest in the EU.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (BMWK) does not take into account the investment costs necessary for electricity expansion when presenting the costs for electricity from renewable energies, the Court of Auditors also announced.
“The federal government must clearly state the system costs of the energy transition.
“In addition, it should finally determine what it means by affordable electricity supply.”
Robert Habeck: “I have taken note of the Federal Audit Office’s report”
Economics Minister Habeck received the bad news during a trip to the US capital Washington.
He couldn't understand the criticism.
“I have taken note of the Federal Audit Office’s report – but nothing more,” said Habeck initially.
To then become clearer: “I’m not saying we’re through.
But to say that the federal government is not doing enough to bring down energy prices, implement energy security, and reduce CO₂ emissions is an astonishing perception that has nothing to do with reality.”
Energy prices are falling, the minister emphasized, and the government is implementing what has been neglected for decades.
“The expansion of renewable energies has picked up speed.” Approvals for grid expansion are also being issued much more quickly.
In a statement for the report, the BMWK agreed that the expansion dynamic needed to be increased.
Corresponding packages of measures from 2022 only had a delayed effect.
However, the installation and approvals of onshore wind turbines have already increased significantly year-on-year.
With material from Reuters