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Pforzheim faces drastic changes – Witzenmann to cut 230 jobs
The Witzenmann Group, a manufacturer of flexible metal hoses, expansion joints, and piping systems for industrial and automotive applications, plans to cut approximately 230 jobs in Pforzheim. The company’s management negotiated with the union and works council to ensure that layoffs remain the exception. The Pforzheim site also includes Kieselbronn and Remchingen, where 1,650 employees…
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Smart meter – for many customers, the trouble only begins after installation
A smart meter in the meter cabinet sounds like a modern electricity market. However, for many customers, this is followed by frustration because usable meter readings are missing. Market communication is often disrupted, and the metering point operator doesn’t forward data promptly. Dynamic electricity tariffs then cannot be billed correctly. Konrad Schade, Chief Commercial Officer…
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Gas shortage – the situation is becoming increasingly critical
The energy situation in Germany is worsening, and the risk of a gas shortage is increasing noticeably. On January 30, 2026, German gas storage facilities were at approximately 32.75% capacity, corresponding to about 82.3 TWh of stored energy. This level is close to the legally mandated minimum of 30% by February 1. This is critical…
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Fireplace as backup – Norway’s building regulations stipulate a second heating option in case of power outage
In Norway, around 73 percent of households heat with electricity. This makes many buildings vulnerable during a blackout. During prolonged power outages, the heat supply quickly collapses. Therefore, Norway’s building code TEK17 mandates that new buildings must have a chimney specifically designed for the later installation of a non-electric heating appliance. Chimney requirement provides backup…
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After terrorist attack in Berlin: Federal government does not know critical nodes in the power grid
The terrorist attack on a cable bridge in southwest Berlin led to a widespread power outage. Repairing the damaged connection took several days. During this time, numerous residents in Steglitz-Zehlendorf had to manage without electricity, and in many places, the heating also failed. Because the attack struck a central connection in Berlin’s power grid, the…
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Home storage systems in focus – Federal Network Agency plans new mandatory network charges
The Federal Network Agency plans to make battery storage systems contribute to grid costs in the future, thereby calling into question a key exemption rule. This could also affect home storage systems, even though they are significantly smaller than large-scale systems. Until now, newly installed, grid-connected storage systems were exempt from grid fees for 20…
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Deindustrialization is in full swing – corporations are fleeing to Eastern Europe en masse
In Germany, factories are closing while corporations are building new capacities in Eastern Europe. This no longer just affects suppliers or individual locations. Even large DAX-listed companies are relocating production and investments. As a result, jobs, supply chains, and industrial know-how are gradually migrating away. Hungary is attracting the most companies. (berliner-zeitung: 29.01.26) DAX-listed companies…
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Germany is subsidizing green hydrogen from Denmark with 1.3 billion euros
Germany continues to make grand promises regarding hydrogen, with the federal government planning to secure €1.3 billion in funding for green hydrogen from Denmark. This funding is aimed at a pipeline scheduled to begin deliveries in 2030. At the same time, one domestic project after another is collapsing, making these further subsidies appear to pose…
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Espionage on wheels – Poland limits the operating range of Chinese electric cars
Poland is explicitly targeting Chinese electric cars with its new security regulations because connected vehicles generate and transmit vast amounts of data. Cameras, sensors, and radar systems record the environment, routes, and driving patterns. From the Ministry of Defense’s perspective, this very data trail can become relevant for espionage if access and data flow are…
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No gas from Qatar – Habeck’s energy partnership still delivers no LNG
The energy partnership that Habeck announced with much fanfare in 2022 following his negotiations with Qatar has yet to bring Germany any LNG. The Ministry of Economic Affairs confirmed to Apollo News that Germany is currently “not importing any LNG from Qatar.” The ministry declined to provide any concrete delivery commitments. Instead, according to the…
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Merz declares wind power a transitional technology – and sells nuclear fusion as a way out
Friedrich Merz calls wind power a transitional technology, even though the expansion of offshore wind farms and grids is planned for decades to come. Nevertheless, he links this expansion to a grand vision for the future. He says Germany should “connect the world’s first fusion reactor to the grid.” At the same time, electricity prices…
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Small rodent paralyzes entire wind farm
A small rodent, likely a mouse, has brought an entire wind farm in Hilchenbach to a standstill. The Rothaarwind 1 wind farm, consisting of five turbines, has been shut down in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district since mid-January because a short circuit damaged a substation. The grid operator cites a small rodent as the culprit and suspects…
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The Federal Network Agency wants to publicly shame network operators in the energy transition debate
The Federal Network Agency intends to evaluate network operators based on their “energy transition competence” and publish the results. This is less a technical regulatory tool than a form of public pressure on critical infrastructure, as a ranking can have a positive impact on a company’s reputation. At the same time, a crucial practical metric…
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Open letter – how the nuclear waste authority BASE is allegedly making policy instead of searching for a final repository
At the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE), there are increasing signs that the agency is losing sight of its core task. It is supposed to drive the search for a final repository for nuclear waste, but it is increasingly communicating like a player in energy policy. This is problematic, because…
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Frost damage after Berlin blackout – expert estimates 60 percent of heat pumps are defective
The Berlin power outage in early January 2026 hit the southwest of the city during a period of severe cold. Temperatures as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius were recorded in Berlin during the affected nights. These sub-zero temperatures increased the risk of frost damage because stationary heating systems could cool down and freeze. Therefore,…