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The solar boom in Germany is putting farmers under increasing pressure due to Investors often acquire large areas in order to build solar parks on them. This makes arable land scarce and expensive for the farmers (Tagesschau: 05.06.23). The solar boom in Germany: Farmers under pressure – dramatic effects on farmland and rents Large investors […]

Netzagentur President Klaus Mueller plans to give companies that operate electricity and gas networks more scope for profit. This will increase the costs for energy consumers (Handelsblatt: 07.06.23). Network operators benefit: Netzagentur plans higher returns for electricity and gas network operators from 2024 The news for electricity and gas network operators in Germany is positive.

According to a BDI survey, almost every sixth company in German industry relocates its production and jobs abroad. Companies attribute this, among other things, to high energy and labor costs that weigh on them (Wiwo: 05.06.23). Industry lobby raises the alarm: companies in Germany are relocating production abroad The President of the Federation of German

According to the CEO of the chemical group Evonik, Christian Kullmann, energy for industry in Germany is more expensive than in any other country in the world. He warns of a possible economic decline in the country (Deutschlandfunk: 04.06.23). Evonik CEO warns of energy policy disaster and calls for subsidized industrial electricity prices Evonik’s CEO

An alliance of major environmental organizations has warned the traffic light parties against classifying wood heating systems as sustainable. They warn against allowing new heating systems in the future. In a joint statement, the associations pointed out that forests are already being overexploited both in Germany and globally. Increasing deforestation has “devastating consequences for biodiversity”.

The savings targets of Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) for the federal ministries in the budget for the coming year are met with resistance from the left and the Greens. “Lindner’s cuts are fatal, they will increase fears of relegation, increase poverty and exacerbate social inequality,” said Linken co-boss Janine Wissler to the AFP news

Germany is in an economic crisis and the growth rate is falling rapidly. Nevertheless, the government promises people a new ecological economic miracle (Wiwo: 01.06.23). Germany’s green economic miracle is missing: Current statistics reveal the murky reality The economic miracle promised by Chancellor Olaf Scholz through the green transformation does not materialize. The current statistics

Energy industry engineers have expressed concern that power grids could be overloaded due to the growing prevalence of heat pumps. Economics Minister Robert Habeck, on the other hand, contradicts this concern and sees no legitimate reasons for it. Heat pumps and overloading of the power grids: Habeck’s plans under criticism Is there a risk that

Heating system installers are reluctant to install new gas boilers because of delivery problems. In addition, a ban on installation is expected to apply from January 2024. Guilds for heating installation companies have sample letters to reject customer requests. The industry sees this as further proof that the planned entry into force of the Building

The SPD and the Greens are pushing ahead with the planned law on municipal heat planning. According to Klara Geywitz (SPD) from the Federal Ministry of Building, the federal government has agreed in principle on a draft law. A ministry spokeswoman said that the bill would now “go to the Länder and associations for consultation”.

Portugal’s Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday gave the green light for a huge lithium mine. The mine could become the largest in Western Europe and give a boost to the continent’s growing electric car industry. The southern European country is said to have the continent’s largest lithium deposits, a key raw material for making batteries

In an attempt to further fuel the booming photovoltaic market, the Ministry of Economics has held out the prospect of affordable subsidised loans to homeowners through KfW. However, it turns out that for many average citizens this offer exists only in theory, as they basically have to finance the energy transition themselves. (N-TV, 29.05.2023) A

The vice chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Jens Spahn (CDU), has met with sharp criticism for his proposal to abolish retirement at 63 for those who have been insured for many years. “That would be unfair and would hit hard those people who have worked hard all their lives and often with full physical