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Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche has submitted new energy legislation for inter-ministerial review because an increasing number of wind and solar power plants are being built in congested grid areas. E.on CEO Leonhard Birnbaum backed the grid package at the company’s annual general meeting. He sees an imbalance because redispatch, curtailment, and compensation measures will […]

Since April 25, the European Union has been gradually phasing out Russian LNG from its gas market, even though the energy crisis is already straining supplies. Russian liquefied natural gas is to be completely phased out by the beginning of 2027. This affects approximately 20 billion cubic meters of gas. At the same time, geopolitical

Stellantis is preparing a possible restructuring of its European plants because its factories in France, Italy, Spain, and Germany are operating significantly below capacity. The planned sale or division of individual sites will thus affect key industrial regions. The triggers are weak car demand, delayed electric vehicle plans, and high costs. Delegations from Chinese manufacturers

In Harzgerode, Wernigerode, Sömmerda, and Brandenburg, two insolvent automotive suppliers are facing operational collapse. On April 28th, it was announced that crucial rescue attempts for the Bohai Trimet Group and the Schlote Group could fail. Major clients are withdrawing orders, while takeover talks have so far yielded no solution. This puts more than 1,000 direct

A new representative survey in Berlin reveals how far removed energy policy has become from the public mood. 53 percent of respondents believe the shutdown of Germany’s last nuclear power plants was a mistake, while only 40 percent support it. The debate was triggered by high electricity prices, doubts about security of supply, and the

BlaBlaCar is discontinuing its national and international long-distance bus services. The company announced its withdrawal on April 23, 2026. Connections to more than 300 European cities are affected. BlaBlaCar cites fierce competition and sharply rising costs as the reasons for the closure. These costs primarily include personnel, bureaucracy, and the energy-intensive operation of the buses.

In Wolfsburg, Volkswagen is preparing a massive cutback: Production in Europe is to be reduced by around one million vehicles per year. VW CEO Oliver Blume justifies the move with weak demand, high costs, and increasing pressure from Chinese competitors. The sluggish sales of electric cars are particularly exacerbating the situation. Several plants, thousands of

In March 2026, a luxury dealer in Kyiv garnered international attention when Bentley Kyiv achieved third place in the 2025 European Scorecard Awards. The award is based on the manufacturer’s internal dealer ranking, which assessed several key performance indicators, including sales, profitability, service retention, and customer experience. However, the context remains extraordinary. Ukraine continues to

In Monaco and Florida, Scorpio Tankers and Ampera launched a collaboration in early April 2026 to develop and market small SMR reactors for shipping. This initiative was driven by rising heavy fuel oil costs, stricter CO₂ regulations, and the challenge of finding alternative energy sources for large ships on long voyages. The systems are designed

In the Upper Palatinate region of Bavaria, the Weiden public prosecutor’s office has filed charges against waste disposal entrepreneur Michael Roth and one of his employees. Roth has been in pretrial detention since August 2025. The case concerns allegedly illegal waste shipments to the Czech Republic and Poland since 2022. The investigation was triggered by

Germany’s industry continues to lose ground because the promised lower electricity prices have failed to materialize, and the energy transition is driving up costs ever higher. This trend has been underway for years but is now affecting key industrial sectors. The trigger is an energy policy that was supposed to deliver climate targets, security of

On April 13, 2026, the UK moved forward with the construction of its first mini nuclear reactors, thanks to a supply contract signed by Great British Energy – Nuclear with Rolls-Royce SMR. The initial plan calls for three small modular reactors, which together are expected to provide enough low-carbon electricity to power the equivalent of

The German government is reducing the energy tax by around 17 cents per liter for two months to provide relief to motorists facing high fuel prices. However, initial price fluctuations, past experience, and current studies reveal a key risk. The previously introduced 12 noon rule failed to deliver noticeable relief and, according to studies, even

On April 19, 2026, Lower Saxony’s Minister-President Olaf Lies sparked a sensitive debate about the future of Volkswagen’s German plants. The Social Democratic politician, who also sits on Volkswagen’s supervisory board, advocated for examining the possibility of manufacturing Chinese cars at German VW factories. This proposal was prompted by the growing push of Chinese manufacturers

Since 2000, Germany has transformed its energy supply at a rapid pace, politically driven by a concerted effort to phase out nuclear power, initiate the coal phase-out, massively promote wind and solar energy, plan new power lines, and further electrify transportation and heating. These transformations were driven by climate policy, the commitment to phasing out