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Discussion > Energiewende - saving the Planet?

The DPA German press agency reported yesterday on the rapidly spreading energy poverty now engulfing the country.

The main driver is Germany’s skyrocketing electricity prices – primarily due to the legally mandatory feeding-in of wind and solar power. Currently regular household consumers are paying nearly 30 cents a kilowatt-hour – almost three times the rate paid in the USA
...
Back to the 19th century
Many households are no longer able to afford electricity and are seeing themselves catapulted back to the 19th century. According to t-online.de [see article for link] here, “More than 330,000 households in Germany have seen their electricity cut off over the past year alone.”

The German site writes that those hit the hardest are households on welfare, i.e. society’s poorest and most vulnerable.

German politician Eva Bulling-Schröter of the Left Party has called it “a silent catastrophe“.

Not only have the poor been broadsided by the high electricity prices, but so have energy intensive industries. This all makes many average workers uneasy. Over the past years a number of German plants have been moving their operations to less expensive locations abroad, especially in the chemical industry. Traditional power companies have also been getting creamed, seeing billions of losses and thousands of layoffs.
NoTricksZone: Germany’s “Silent Catastrophe” …330,000 Households See Power Turned Off In One Year

Does this information appear in the MSM? I doubt it.

Mar 3, 2017 at 4:34 PM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher

Robert Christopher, if it does appear on the BBC, it will be a wonderful feel-good factor piece, about how German efficiency has reduced total use of electricity, and why they can do without reliable coal and nuclear powerstations.

The average German household is not as gullible as the BBC assumes the average British household is. Fortunately, Germany has an election coming up, and German Politicians can justify their actions before then.

Mar 3, 2017 at 5:25 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Where's Phil to tell us, again, that the German people are as entranced now as they were a decade ago with their energy foolishness?
=============

Mar 3, 2017 at 6:10 PM | Unregistered Commenterkim

Former Supervisory Board Chairman of German chemicals giant BASF Jürgen Hambrecht has “sharply criticized” the German government for “deceiving the public and giving them the runaround” when it comes to the Energiewende, reports the online N24/Die Welt here [link in article]
...
The German daily wrote in the photo caption that Hambrecht “is furious about government political information being totally disconnected from reality“.

He describes the German political environment as one that has been hijacked by emotional thinking and fear, with facts being left on the wayside.

The 70-year old executive, who recently joined the FDP Free Democrat Party, told N24/Die Welt that German competitiveness “is acutely at risk” — and what is especially irritating is the massive taxpayer-paid disinformation recently put out by the the Ministry of Economics in a brochure claiming page after page that the country’s Energiewende [transition to renewable energies] was a “success story”.

Hambrecht says the brochure in fact “has little to do with reality” and that the truth is:
The Energiewende is a huge botch. The costs continue to rise and the supply stability will be at extreme risk if we phase out coal and gas after ending nuclear. That annoys me a immensely as the citizens are being deceived and given the runaround.”

NoTricksZone: BASF Executive Calls German Energiewende A “Huge Botch”…Government “Deceiving The Public”

Merkel is up to her neck in this, but surely the other Established Parties are too.

Mar 4, 2017 at 2:42 PM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher

Merkel is up to her neck in this, but surely the other Established Parties are too.

Mar 4, 2017 at 2:42 PM | Robert Christopher

They can discuss it in their forthcoming elections. Though Merkel may not want to get involved.

Reds, turned Green, but are now covered in Brown smelly stuff.

Mar 4, 2017 at 3:15 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

"Vahrenholt was once the head of RWE’s renewable energy arm, Innogy, and responsible for the installation of offshore wind parks. However, after years of poor performance, discovering that the climate science was unclean, and learning of the harm wind parks pose to the environment, Vahrenholt has since been calling for a fundamental energy policy course correction in Germany."
NoTricksZone: Leading Renewable Energy Expert Says Germany Sacrificing Nature For “Green” Energies

Mar 5, 2017 at 6:39 PM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher

They are going down like nine pins:
The ‘Energiewende’ (transition to green energies) risks leading to a complete meltdown of Germany’s power generation sector.

The latest news is that German electricity giant Eon expects to post a massive 12.4 billion euro loss for the year 2016, NTV news site writes here. Careful not to link the loss to Germany’s failing renewable energy bid, NTV blames it on Eon subsidiary Uniper and its write-downs for “spun-off nuclear power plant business” and the “strongly fallen wholesale power prices“.
Eon share prices plummeted from €7.57 a share earlier this weak to €6.98 by early Thursday morning, before clawing back up to €7.15 in Friday trading.
The figure is only a preliminary estimate, and the final figure will be released on March 15. But the Handelsblatt writes that the loss could even be higher: “It’s going to be even higher,” say those within the company.
The Handelsblatt reports that “at least 1000 jobs” are planned to be slashed by Eon in an effort to get the cost situation under control.
NoTricksZone: German Power Sector In Massive Trauma As Electricity Giant EON Set To Post Colossal €12.4 BILLION Loss!

Mar 10, 2017 at 3:06 PM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher

Mar 10, 2017 at 3:06 PM | Robert Christopher

If Energiewende scandals, incompetence and power failures cause further embarrassment to the Merkel Government, a large German Green Miste may smother the EU.

Mar 10, 2017 at 3:20 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

golf charlie

I honestly do not think that German voters will vote against aunty Merkel even if she is shown to be a serial killer ^.^

May 19, 2017 at 10:47 PM | Registered CommenterDung

Dung

from comments made by some German colleagues:

I have heard deep frustration elaborated with the lies about renewables and the consequent rise in leccy prices that has eclipsed expensive measures taken by individual consumers to reduce consumption.

The migrant thing figures massively too - and even with comprehensive "dissent damping" in place the mood of many is quite angry. Most migrants aiui are still sitting it out at the taxpayer's expense - and the taxpayers are getting restive about putting them to work.

If some pragmatism surfaces - maybe things will settle down - if not... then there will inevitably be turmoil. Quite how badly Merkel's brand is tarnished remains to be seen - given what I've personally heard vs. MSM presentations I suspect that some surprises are ahead.

May 20, 2017 at 8:05 PM | Registered Commentertomo

Dung & tomo

The EU still have not taken BREXIT seriously. Marine Le Pen did not win in France but got a third of France to vote for her.

Merkel IS the senior EU Politician. She does not have to lose, for German unrest about Merkel/EU to be formally recorded, just as the French have done.

Macron now has to please two thirds of his own population, and has chosen a cabinet from across the political spectrum, to do so. It will be interesting to see if Macron obtains any concessions from the EU. Anti-EU politicians from acroos the EU, will also be taking an interest, as the EU now needs to extract MORE money from France.

UK Remainers tried to portray BREXITEERS as far right, fascist extremists. This did not go down well in traditional Labour strongholds. Labour have given up on Remain. The Liberals have not given up on Remain, but they are being given up.

If the EU were hoping for a reversal of BREXIT resulting from the UK General Election, they seemed to have misjudged that aswell.

GERMEXIT is not likely this time around, but if anyone in the EU is capable of saving the EU, it is Merkel. She created the Syrian refugee crisis for the EU. She has overseen the looming energy crisis in Germany. German engineering and industrial might should not be let down by political power failures.

May 21, 2017 at 12:34 AM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

Rainer Wendt The leader of the German police union lays out some stuff that Mutti Merkel and crew somehow haven't managed to suppress ...

Green energy might be well down the agenda once the scale and intractability of the problem (and it is clearly a problem) emerges into the sphere of public debate. It is abundantly clear that integration isn't happening on the scale required and that something needs to happen.

May 21, 2017 at 12:55 AM | Registered Commentertomo

What amazes me is the length of time taken by societies to respond to threats not actually recognised by governments. Look how long it has taken us to decide to throw off the EU yoke (and that still depends upon May). Now we are saying the German people are slowly realising what Merkel is doing through her actions on immigration and power generation but they will not throw her out this time, maybe next time eh?

May 21, 2017 at 11:57 AM | Registered CommenterDung

May 21, 2017 at 11:57 AM | Dung

Anyone in Europe who dares to criticise the EU is labelled by the Progressives as a Fascist, Right Wing Extremist, Nazi etc. Germans are somewhat sensitive to such comments, but for Merkel, having seen the Soviet Bloc and East Germany collapse, labels of "Communist" are probably painful too.

I suppose the writing was on the wall for the EU once insiders started dreaming of a Superstate, to rival the USA and USSR. They have created the worst of both worlds, whilst intending to be the best. EU bureaucrats have never suffered the consequences of the mistakes they have implemented. Why should they change now?

I think Merkel is the only hope for the EU. It is not destined to fail militarily, but because it goes bust, just like the USSR. As more Germans realise that the EU experiment is a financial disaster for Germany, opposition will rise. Merkel has seen the consequences once before.

This General Election is a ratification of the BREXIT Vote. It is not going the way Progressives/EU/Merkel wanted or predicted or were advised to expect by UK Progressives/Remainers.

We will have to wait for political memoirs in years to come, to find out how many of the Unaccountable EU Heads decided not to offer Cameron some concessions prior to BREXIT.

May 21, 2017 at 8:33 PM | Unregistered Commentergolf charlie

May 21, 2017 at 8:33 PM by golf charlie
"Anyone in Europe who dares to criticise the EU is labelled by the Progressives as a Fascist, Right Wing Extremist, Nazi etc. ..."

After criticism from the 'Top German Socialist', in my post on May 19, 2017 at 9:26 PM, we have another volunteer:
"Germany’s rush into green energies is slowly and grudgingly being acknowledged by once steadfast proponents as a failure. Over time, even the most bitter of realities have to be accepted."
NoTricksZone: ‘Tagesspiegel’ Calls German Solar Energy Scheme An “Exemplary Initiative” On What “Not To Do”!

It must be bad to risk the wrath of Merkel and the Progressives.

May 21, 2017 at 10:26 PM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher

When a quiet word and threats of no advertising don't work.... make a law...

The German "Justice" minister Heiko Maas tries to ratchet it down....

Anybody'd think there's an election coming up.

May 22, 2017 at 1:29 PM | Registered Commentertomo

Very bad:
"One of the founders of Germany’s modern environmental movement and a former renewable energies executive has publicly announced that President Donald Trump’s rejection of the Paris Accord is the right thing to do.

USA starts the PREXIT
At his climate science critical website, Die kalte Sonne, Prof. Fritz Vahrenholt says the USA has de facto “begun the exit out of the Paris Climate Accord“, or PREXIT, and that among world leaders at least Donald Trump comprehends that natural factors are at play in climate.

Moreover, Vahrenholt notes that upon really reading the Paris Accord for the first time, it is only now that the media have become surprised that it is not even a binding agreement, but instead one that only involves intentions by the rich countries to transfer cash to developing nations to the tune of $100 billion annually beginning in 2020.

He wonders why “neither Obama nor Merkel, Juncker or Macron have found it necessary so far to explain to their citizens the agreement burdens their own citizens to the benefit of no. 1 emitters China, and India“.
NoTricksZone: Trump Correct To Reject [Paris Accord ]…Founder Of German Environmental Movement Calls Paris Accord A Bad Deal!

Jun 12, 2017 at 9:38 AM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher

NoTricksZone: “The De Facto End Of Wind Turbine Forests”. New Policy In Germany Send Powerful Signals!
"Germany’s wind energy industry is suddenly facing fierce headwinds, and wind energy opponents are cheering wildly!"

Jun 28, 2017 at 1:13 PM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher

No wonder the German Energy Industry is in a mess:
Express: Angela Merkel insults Donald Trump's intelligence over climate change in raging outburst
"Speaking at the Bundestag, she said: "We cannot expect talks in Hamburg to be easy after the US has announced its intention to exit the Paris agreement. The dissent is obvious.

“We are convinced that climate change is one of the greatest, existential challenges facing humanity.

"On climate change, we can’t wait to act until every last person has been convinced of the clear scientific facts.

"It is a mistake to believe the problems of this world can be solved with isolationism."

What, like the EU's trade barriers with the rest of the world?


Out of interest:
Wiki: Merkel has been described as the de facto leader of the European Union [true], the most powerful woman in the world [isn't that President Hillary Clinton, when they have sorted out the voting? :) ], and the leader of the free world [What! The EU, free?].

Jun 29, 2017 at 9:47 AM | Registered CommenterRobert Christopher