-
Emissions Trading: EU Disguises New Regulations as Aid for European Industry
Brussels is planning a reform of the European Emissions Trading System for late May 2026, which is ostensibly intended to ease the burden on energy-intensive companies. The EU Commission aims to make more free CO₂ allowances available, but intends to link them to investments in climate-friendly technologies. This initiative impacts steelworks, chemical plants, cement manufacturers,…
-
EU Free Trade: 410 Trade Barriers Threaten Europe’s Supply Chains
The EU is pressing ahead with its interim agreement with the Mercosur states, even as its free trade strategy encounters an increasing number of covert trade barriers. This situation is driven by a global economy in which nations utilize technical regulations, import licenses, and special requirements. In November 2025, the European Commission recorded a total…
-
Volksbanks Face Multi-Billion Risks: “Bad Bank” Takes Over Problem Loans—Nearing Record Levels
In 2025, BAG Bankaktiengesellschaft assumed problematic exposures from the Volksbanks on an unusually large scale. Its business volume grew by just under 1.4 billion euros, as major problem loans and a weak economic climate weighed on the cooperative financial group. By the end of 2025, BAG was managing a portfolio of just over 1.7 billion…
-
Why Battery Storage Is Not Enough During Dark Lulls: New Figures Reveal the Problem
In Berlin, the dispute over new gas-fired power plants is intensifying ahead of the summer consultations on the Power Plant Security Act, as—according to an analysis by Uniper—prolonged periods of low wind and solar output occur significantly more frequently than is often portrayed. Between 2016 and 2025, the company counts 1,435 phases lasting more than…
-
New EU Regulation Increases Costs of Electric Cars, Batteries, and Solar Systems
Berlin and Brussels are set to discuss new EU industrial regulations in late May 2026. The proposed EU regulation aims to bolster European manufacturing and promote climate-friendly materials. However, an internal report from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs warns of higher costs for electric vehicles, batteries, solar systems, and construction projects. This is triggered…
-
RCP8.5 Scrapped: Legal Experts Now Question Federal Constitutional Court’s Climate Ruling
In Germany, a new debate regarding the Federal Constitutional Court’s 2021 ruling on climate protection is gaining momentum in late May 2026, as climate research no longer regards the extreme scenario RCP8.5 as a central future trajectory. Consequently, legal experts are examining whether the Court in Karlsruhe based its judgment—which imposed far-reaching requirements concerning climate…
-
Power Grid at the Limit: Wind and Solar Drive US into Costly Supply Gap
In the USA, concerns regarding a potential supply gap in the power grid are mounting in 2026. This situation is driven by rising electricity demand, the decommissioning of dispatchable power plants, and the growing share of weather-dependent power generation. NERC, the North American grid regulator, had already issued a warning in January regarding declining grid…
-
Battery Storage Retains Privilege: Federal Network Agency Halts New Grid Levy
In the AgNes proceedings, the Federal Network Agency is maintaining the preferential status for battery storage systems. It is thereby foregoing an early termination of the exemption from grid charges, even though the boom in storage systems places increased strain on the grids. Operators, investors, and grid operators gain planning certainty, while the future distribution…
-
Energy Policy in a Subsidy Spiral: Ever-New Interventions—Yet No Solution
In Germany, the debate is intensifying regarding an energy policy that responds to the consequences of weather-dependent power generation through a continuous series of interventions involving state subsidies. The catalyst for this lies in the massive expansion of wind and solar power capacity, while firm capacity, grid infrastructure, and storage solutions are not available to…
-
Jaguar Land Rover Reports 99 Percent Drop in Profits: Electrification Strategy Exacerbates Crisis
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) reported a 99 percent plunge in profits for the past fiscal year, thereby concluding a severe year of crisis. The British automaker earned a mere £14 million before taxes and special items—a stark contrast to the £2.5 billion recorded the previous year. This downturn was triggered by U.S. tariffs, a cyberattack…
-
EV Parking Space in Wesel: City Threatens Retired Couple with €5,000 Fine
In Wesel, a private parking space for an electric vehicle became a matter of dispute in the spring of 2026 after a retired couple installed a parking spot—complete with charging facilities—next to their end-of-terrace house. The city authorities deem this usage impermissible under building regulations. Consequently, the couple has been ordered to cease using the…
-
IKEA Cuts Hundreds of Jobs in Dortmund: IT Shutdown and Staff Reductions Hit Location Hard
In Dortmund-Ellinghausen, IKEA is implementing massive job cuts as part of an international restructuring effort. The cuts affect IKEA IT Germany GmbH and IKEA Purchasing Services Germany GmbH. The furniture group aims to reduce costs and consolidate functions into larger organizational units; consequently, numerous jobs at the site are being eliminated. According to company statements,…
-
EU Commissioners Frustrated by EVs: Charging Stop Slows Down Trip from Brussels to Strasbourg
In Brussels, the EU Commission’s fleet of electric official vehicles is causing frustration because the available EVs cannot complete the approximately 440-kilometer journey from Brussels to the EU Parliament in Strasbourg without stopping to recharge. These vehicles are part of the authority’s green fleet transition, launched in 2022; however, the regular official trips between the…
-
Next Downward Revision: Germany’s Economic Growth Slumps Again
The DIHK and the Council of Economic Experts have significantly lowered their forecasts for Germany’s economic growth, as previous expectations had assessed the situation too optimistically. For 2026, the DIHK now anticipates growth of only 0.3 percent, down from its previous projection of 1.0 percent. In their spring report, the Council of Economic Experts forecast…
-
Suspicion of Manipulation Regarding Climate Data
Globally, the dispute regarding retrospectively altered temperature data from NASA, NOAA, and other climate agencies is currently flaring up once again. One catalyst for this is the debate surrounding the former “worst-case scenario,” RCP8.5—a pathway that is no longer to be considered a plausible standard trajectory for the next IPCC assessment cycle. Experts increasingly view…