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The abolition of the gas storage levy was intended to provide significant relief to gas customers, but it is now proving more expensive than announced. Instead of three billion euros, more than 3.5 billion euros flowed from the federal budget because value-added tax (VAT) is also involved. The Finance Ministry confirmed the higher sum upon […]

Carbon dioxide is produced in many industrial processes and remains available as a raw material. At the same time, aviation, shipping, and parts of the chemical industry still require liquid energy carriers. Electricity alone often cannot cover these applications because energy density, storage, and existing infrastructure play a major role. A new study from China

Carl Zeiss Meditec is pulling the plug on its China business because access to its most important market is becoming more difficult. The company plans to relocate more production to the People’s Republic to continue selling there. CFO Justus Felix Wehmer said: “To continue participating in the large Chinese market, we need to shift more

A Düsseldorf-based company plans to restart decommissioned German nuclear power plants. Avenes Europe GmbH presents reactivation as its central project goal. This brings back to the forefront an issue that Germany had essentially resolved with the last shutdown date. The last three nuclear power plants were taken offline on April 15, 2023. (ruhrbarone: 12.02.26) The

The discussion about electromobility often seems more advanced in metropolitan areas than the market actually is. This is because rural areas, not cities, are the dominant region for private owners. The decisive factor is less enthusiasm for electric cars and more the practicalities of everyday charging – which often depends on owning a property with

On February 12, 2026, the fill level of Germany’s gas storage facilities was only 25.60 percent. This brings into focus a threshold that is often misunderstood: 20 percent is not a political figure, but a hard physical limit. Many debates revolve around “how much” gas is still available, but in an emergency, what matters is

Bielefeld has decommissioned seven hydrogen-powered garbage trucks because the hydrogen refueling station they previously used in Rheda-Wiedenbrück has closed. Each refueling trip previously required a round trip of approximately 80 kilometers. With the station’s closure, the only alternative is a significantly longer refueling journey, disrupting regular operations. The fleet cost around 7 million euros, or

A legal opinion has declared Section 2 of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) in its 2023 version unconstitutional because the then Minister of Economic Affairs, Habeck, effectively mandated that courts prioritize wind and solar power in cases involving fundamental rights conflicts with the “wind power turbocharger.” This is intended to replace an open, case-by-case

No, it’s not April Fool’s Day, because the Ministry of the Environment is indeed planning a measurement program for cow methane directly in the barn. This is based on the draft of the 2026 climate protection program, which also includes a separate chapter on cattle farming. Sensors will record how much methane individual animals emit.

Finland’s wind power didn’t just collapse during the cold snap; in many places, it failed completely. The main reason is icing. Ice builds up on rotor blades, sensors, and anemometers, and even a thin layer renders the turbines inefficient. Operators then automatically shut down the turbines because of the risk of imbalance and ice throw.

Germany is experiencing its second consecutive decline in wind power generation, despite continued increases in installed capacity. At the end of 2023, approximately 68.9 GW of installed capacity was available, generating around 142 TWh. By the end of 2024, capacity had climbed to approximately 72.4 GW, but production fell to around 138 TWh. At the

Electric bus fleets are considered key to the transportation revolution, but everyday reality paints a different picture. Operators struggle with reduced range, software problems, and long downtimes. At the same time, safety risks are increasing because modern vehicles are constantly networked, and there are suspicions that Chinese manufacturers have remote access to their systems. There

A shift in policy is emerging in Brussels because emissions trading, with its certificate costs, is increasingly squeezing industry dry. However, this change of thinking is coming far too late. The EU has been tightening the screws for years, while many countries outside Europe do not bear comparable burdens. This has put the competitiveness of

Small wind turbines are considered a complement to photovoltaics because wind can also generate electricity in winter and at night. Many projects start with this expectation, yet the actual yield often remains low. The reason is usually the physics and wind conditions at the site, not regulations or theoretical figures. (ingenieur: 09.02.26) Small wind turbines

Car dealers have not yet registered a noticeable boost in sales due to the new electric car subsidy, and many buyers remain hesitant, as they expect clear rules and a reliable start. At the same time, there is growing concern that the subsidy will severely impact the used car market through further declines in residual