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Insolvency at AE Group – Automotive supplier closes plants in Thuringia and Hesse
The AE Group is facing its final closure. The long-established automotive supplier is ending production in Thuringia and Hesse. Approximately 650 jobs will be lost as a result. The planned restructuring failed, and an investor solution failed to materialize. The bitter consequence: a complete factory closure by the end of the year. Hopes for AE…
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Record year for nuclear energy – global electricity production reaches new high
The global nuclear energy industry looks back on a truly record-breaking year. In 2024, the international reactor fleet delivered more electricity than ever before. The World Nuclear Performance Report 2025 documents this record high and highlights the importance of nuclear power for a stable energy future. Record year with strong results in electricity generation and…
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Severe crisis in the German solar industry: Meyer Burger closes plants in eastern Germany
The renowned solar module manufacturer Meyer Burger has closed its plants in eastern Germany. The sites in Bitterfeld-Wolfen and Hohenstein-Ernstthal are affected. More than 500 employees are now jobless and struggling with the sudden job loss. The company filed for insolvency in May and has not found an investor to keep it operating. This move…
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Geothermal energy as a source of hope – municipalities are scrapping their projects one after the other
At the end of August, a project in Lilienthal that had raised high hopes collapsed. The company Sweon spent two years investigating the potential of a geothermal power plant. The plan was to supply households and businesses via a far-reaching district heating network. Old drilling data from the 1980s and 2000s indicated insufficient permeability in…
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New battery technology – almost weekly announcements unsettle buyers
The demise of Voltstorage impressively demonstrates how quickly hopes can be dashed. The battery technology pioneered iron-salt energy storage, enabling a 1-megawatt system with over 1,000 cycles without any noticeable loss of performance. Nevertheless, the end came abruptly, as market conditions, investor interests, and strategies did not harmonize with the corresponding cell innovations. (pv-magazine: 28.08.25)…
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Citizens’ referendum on wind farm stopped – State Administration Office causes outrage
In the dispute over the planned wind farm in the Schmölauer Forest, a referendum has not been held. Around 30 wind turbines were at the center of the conflict. Although the Dähre municipal council had approved the citizens’ petition, the Saxony-Anhalt State Office for Administrative Affairs intervened and stopped the process. For the citizens’ initiative,…
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Door-to-door sales for fiber optic connections – consumer protection advises caution
In the course of fiber optic expansion, providers often use door-to-door sales to pressure customers into signing up quickly. Many prospective customers feel pressured as a result. Consumer protection agencies warn that not every internet contract offer is worthwhile for fiber optic connections, and careful consideration remains crucial to benefiting from fast internet in the…
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Hidden national debt is exploding – Germany is threatened with financial collapse
National debt has reached a historic record level. Open and hidden liabilities total €19.5 trillion, equivalent to 454 percent of annual economic output. Within just one year, the sustainability gap increased by €4.1 trillion. Around one-third of the increase comes from social spending on health and long-term care insurance. (faz: 29.08.25) The pension crisis also…
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Poland selects location for first SMR in Włocławek
Poland is opting for a new site for its entry into the nuclear energy of the future. The first small modular nuclear power plant is being built in Włocławek. The energy company Orlen confirmed the construction after laying the foundations for close cooperation with Synthos Green Energy. The two companies agreed on a financing and…
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USA brings decommissioned Palisade nuclear power plant in Michigan back online
On August 25, 2025, a historic step was taken in Covert Township, Michigan: The previously decommissioned Palisade nuclear power plant officially transitioned from decommissioning to operational status. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved Holtec’s license package on July 24. Palisade thus made history, as it was the first time in the United States that…
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Canadian government issues travel warning for Germany – current assessment
The Canadian government has issued a new travel warning for Germany. The official platform advises travelers to exercise extreme caution. (travel.gc.ca: 28.08.25) This brings the fragile security situation into sharper focus. Knife attacks in Dresden, Berlin, and other cities are considered a possible motive. Reasons for the travel warning The travel warning contains the sentence:…
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Autobahn expansion in Germany – a financial disaster
Today, the German Autobahn represents a contrast that could hardly be greater. In Berlin, almost three-quarters of a billion euros were invested in just a few kilometers of the A100 (fr: 29.08.25), while in Brandenburg the A14 is stalling despite years of planning (nordkurier: 29.08.25). On the one hand, a massive highway expansion is causing…
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The new electricity price law brings little relief
The new Electricity Price Act is causing debate among politicians, business leaders, and consumers. The federal government under Friedrich Merz is planning a €6.5 billion subsidy from the Climate and Transformation Fund for 2026. This is intended to reduce grid fees, which account for a significant portion of electricity costs. However, for many households, the…
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Blackout: the underestimated danger – how our society collapses in three days
A widespread blackout is one of the greatest risks facing modern societies. The power supply is considered stable, but an outage lasting several days would have catastrophic consequences. It would affect not only households, but also hospitals, telecommunications, transport, and water supplies. Preparedness is therefore essential, because an unprepared society risks its own ability to…
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BCE union terminates climate cooperation and attacks emissions trading
The powerful BCE union has terminated its climate cooperation and is now opposing the core of climate policy. It has long supported the energy transition, the coal phase-out, and the nuclear shutdown. Now, however, Michael Vassiliadis declares: “It’s killing our companies.” This puts emissions trading, considered a key instrument, at the center of criticism. The…