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System limits reached: Grids and storage are slowing the renewable energy boom
By 2026, the global expansion of renewable energy is increasingly hitting technical system limits. While wind and solar power continue to grow, many regions lack the necessary high-capacity grids, storage facilities, and dispatchable power plants. At the same time, changes to subsidy frameworks are dampening investment in China and the USA. The consequences include more…
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Fraud involving wind farm contracts: Prokon seeks repayment of €764,210
In June 2026, the Schwerin public prosecutor’s office charged a man on suspicion of fraud and forgery. He is said to have presented Prokon with area contracts for a wind farm and other energy projects around Neubrandenburg. However, several property owners disputed the contracts and their signatures. Prokon discovered the discrepancies through direct checks and…
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Cash via app: How the digital euro is supposed to work
Like cash, but intangible: The European Central Bank (ECB) plans to introduce digital euros that consumers can store on their mobile phones for making payments. This requires an EU-wide legal framework, on which the relevant European Parliament committee is scheduled to vote for the first time on Tuesday. Here is how the digital cash is…
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EU plans carbon tariff on refrigerators: Nearly 400 product types could become more expensive starting in 2028
On June 12, 2026, EU finance ministers in Luxembourg agreed to a comprehensive expansion of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Consequently, starting in 2028, nearly 400 types of steel and aluminum goods could fall under the regulation. These include refrigerators, washing machines, garden tools, and other metal-intensive products from non-EU countries. Importers would be…
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Greece poised to adopt nuclear power: Small reactors to plug supply gap
Greece has been preparing for a potential entry into nuclear power since March 2026. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the assessment on March 10 at the nuclear summit in Paris. A ministerial committee is tasked with examining small modular reactors (SMRs) for the Greek energy market, as Athens intends to shut down its remaining lignite-fired…
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Industrial employment falls to ten-year low: 124,000 jobs lost in one year
Employment in German industry fell to a ten-year low in 2025. Nationwide, only around 6.6 million people were employed in the manufacturing sector. Approximately 124,000 jobs disappeared within the span of a year; companies were less likely to replace departing employees and simultaneously limited new hiring. Weak production, high location costs, and uncertain sales prospects…
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5G on trains delayed: Dispute stalls high-speed internet on the railways
The planned rollout of 5G for travelers on the Berlin–Hamburg railway line is facing delays. Mobile network operators state that, following the line’s comprehensive refurbishment, key technical and contractual prerequisites are still missing. The companies hold Deutsche Bahn partly responsible for this situation. However, the railway operator points to sites that have already been prepared…
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Survey: Majority of Germans view expansion of data centers critically
Around three out of four people in Germany are skeptical about the construction of new data centers. This is the finding of a representative survey conducted by the YouGov institute on behalf of Welt am Sonntag (the Sunday edition of Die Welt). According to the survey, 72 percent of respondents expressed specific concerns regarding data…
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Escalating CO2 costs: Industry calls for a halt to further increases
Berlin and Brussels – More than three dozen industrial groups are calling for an end to the escalating costs associated with the EU emissions trading system. Their letter, dated June 16, 2026, is addressed to the leadership of the European Council. Signatories include BASF, Covestro, Evonik, Thyssenkrupp, ArcelorMittal, BP, Ineos, and Trimet. The companies are…
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Retreat from wind power: Shell sells wind farm portfolio for over a billion dollars
Shell is preparing for a further withdrawal from offshore wind power. The energy company plans to sell stakes in wind farms for more than one billion dollars. According to Bloomberg, the transaction is expected to launch in 2027. The company has reportedly engaged Rothschild and PJT Partners as advisors; however, Shell has not yet confirmed…
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Mannheim abandons 2030 climate goal – political mandate fails to withstand reality
Following a recent assessment by the city administration, Mannheim is abandoning its climate goal for 2030. The Committee for Environment and Technology was informed of this on June 9, 2026. The city had aimed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent compared to 1990 levels; however, by 2023, it had achieved…
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The German Auto Industry in Decline: How Followers Ousted the Doers
A commentary by our author Klaus Bastian A theory attributed to Ferdinand Piëch holds that only about ten percent of employees are true “doers.” Piëch described the rest as followers who essentially live off the ideas of this small group. This pattern also characterizes the German automotive industry today. Manufacturers and suppliers are cutting jobs,…
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Significantly more building permits in April – but the sector still sees great demand
The recent upward trend in building permits in Germany continued in April. According to the Federal Statistical Office, permits were issued for 1,700 more housing units than in the same month last year (an increase of 9.2 percent), bringing the total to 20,200. The construction industry welcomed the development, though it noted that actual demand…
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Nestlé closes Thomy plant in Neuss: Production ends after more than 100 years
Nestlé ceased production at the Thomy plant in the Neuss harbor on June 9, 2026. Remoulade was the last product to roll off the line before the site’s closure began. The company cites high costs, declining volumes, and excess capacity as reasons. As a result, around 145 employees are losing their current jobs. Large parts…
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DEKRA measurement confirms: Königseiche wind farm exceeds noise guideline value
According to DEKRA, two Nordex turbines at the Königseiche wind farm near Uhingen-Baiereck are exceeding the nighttime noise limit. The City of Uhingen published the findings on June 16, 2026, following complaints lodged since the facility’s commissioning in December 2024. Residents of Baiereck are particularly affected. DEKRA also detected tonal noise during various operating conditions;…