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The Merz government has formulated ambitious plans. The coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU, and SPD states: “We are positioning Germany as a leading location for future digital technologies.” Artificial intelligence is explicitly considered a key technology. “We are committed to AI breakthrough innovations.” The plan is to massively promote data centers and bring a […]

Thirty renowned poverty researchers have strongly criticized the Federal Statistical Office. The reason for this is the elimination of a calculation method that officially removes over one million people from the poverty statistics. Experts such as Ulrich Schneider, long-time CEO of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband (Parity Welfare Association), and social scientist Christoph Butterwegge addressed a letter

The controllers at Volkswagen and Porsche are pushing ahead with a radical realignment. Instead of relying solely on cars, the billionaire families are investing specifically in defense technologies and mobility. This step is intended to reduce dependence on a faltering automotive industry. (berliner-zeitung: 14.08.25). Reorientation toward the defense industry Porsche SE plans to invest up

The power grid in Reutlingen is reaching its limits. Grid operator FairNetz is prohibiting numerous private photovoltaic operators from feeding electricity into the grid. Around 300 households with new systems are affected by the so-called zero feed-in. For them, this means the loss of an important source of income, as surplus electricity is no longer

Sociologist Miriam Lang criticizes a new colonialism in global energy policy. “A new colonialism is emerging in the name of the energy transition.” International corporations from the US, Europe, and China are securing access to strategic raw materials in the Global South. Officially, it’s about climate protection, but behind it lies an old logic of

The planned offshore wind farm in Liivi Bay between Estonia and Latvia is stalling. Enefit Green, a subsidiary of state-owned Eesti Energia, and Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation have ended their partnership. This means that international investors are withdrawing from a project that was originally intended to be a showcase for Estonia’s energy transition. A lack of

The plight of Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt is coming to a head. In addition to the €600 million already known, German taxpayers could lose an additional €300 million. The reason for this is government guarantees and aid that were originally intended for the construction of a battery factory in Heide. The project was supposed to

DAX companies are under enormous pressure. Within a year, the largest listed companies lost around 30,000 jobs. This corresponds to a decrease of 0.9 percent. “The demand for employees is likely to continue to decline,” industry experts emphasize. Large severance programs are already underway, but these are not yet visible in the statistics. (faz: 15.08.25).

Frankfurt is considered an important center for the digital economy. However, the planned expansion of AI data centers is stalling. It is not stricter environmental regulations, but a lack of power supply that is preventing progress. Industry circles report a lack of grid capacity. The Association of the Internet Industry Eco therefore demanded that “access

On August 6, 2025, a spectacular robotaxi accident occurred in Chongqing. A self-driving vehicle from Baidu’s Apollo robotaxi service crashed into a secured construction site pit. The sole passenger was unharmed. Local residents used a ladder to get her out of the car. Videos showing the car at the bottom of the pit are circulating

Norway is relying on floating nuclear power plants to supply remote regions and offshore projects with climate-neutral electricity. The country is using its maritime experience in shipbuilding to deploy modular reactors on barges. (neimagazine: 14.08.25). Floating nuclear power plants as a supplement to hydropower Norway covers almost all of its electricity needs with hydropower. The

Weak winds, declining trading business, and unfavorable weather conditions weighed on RWE’s results in the first half of the year. Despite higher electricity production, the Essen-based energy group is still aiming for an annual profit of up to €5.15 billion. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) fell significantly—from €2.9 billion in the

China’s largest solar companies lost nearly a third of their workforce last year. Company reports show that Longi Green Energy, Trina Solar, Jinko Solar, JA Solar, and Tongwei together cut around 87,000 jobs. That corresponds to an average of 31 percent of their employees. The industry, which Beijing once specifically promoted as a growth engine,

The official unemployment figures in Germany paint a distorted picture. Many unemployed people do not appear in the statistics. Although the Federal Employment Agency collects extensive data, a large proportion of the unemployed are not officially classified as unemployed. This means that the true number of unemployed is significantly higher than the published rate suggests

In the first half of the year, Scottish wind farms had to curtail almost 40 percent of their potential electricity generation due to overproduction. This curtailment occurred because the electricity could neither be used locally nor transported to other regions. Nevertheless, the operators received high compensation payments. According to calculations by energy analysis firm Montel,