According to a report in “Der Spiegel,” the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, headed by Katherina Reiche (CDU), has asked the energy company EnBW for arguments in favor of using gas-fired power plants during periods of low wind and solar power generation. The magazine quoted on Wednesday from a text message containing several proposals from EnBW’s chief lobbyist, Holger Schäfer, to a department head at the ministry. EnBW stated that the message was prepared “at the request” of the ministry.
A spokesperson for the ministry declined to comment to journalists in Berlin. He stated that he could “not comment” on specific cases. He added that it was generally “customary and necessary” during legislative processes “to receive corresponding proposals from associations and individual stakeholders.”
The issue concerns the power plant strategy, which the ministry has been working on for months. This strategy aims to secure the electricity supply when wind and solar power plants do not provide sufficient energy. According to “Der Spiegel,” EnBW’s proposals were primarily directed against battery storage.
Reiche is accused of being too close to the fossil fuel industry. The German Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) declared on Wednesday that Reiche’s “policies for the gas lobby are becoming increasingly brazen.” Instead of advocating for cost-effective and climate-friendly storage solutions, she is pushing for subsidies for expensive and climate-damaging gas-fired power plants.
According to a report in the Rheinische Post, CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn defended Reiche after her dispute with SPD Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil. At a parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday, Spahn reportedly said, according to participants, that anyone who wants to turn energy policy on its head and also refers to free-market principles can rely all the more on the support of the parliamentary group. Spahn reportedly said: “Thank you for your work. In energy policy, we need to expand renewables, but above all, we need to keep it affordable, and you’re doing that.”
On Wednesday, Der Spiegel also reported that EnBW had failed to register the text containing the proposals in the lobby register as required. The company only uploaded the document after the magazine inquired. A spokesperson for the ministry told Der Spiegel that compliance with the regulations of the lobby register law is solely the responsibility of the lobbyists themselves.
AFP translated by Blackout News