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Politics 02/04/2025, 18:08
The further the dismantling of the last nuclear power plants progresses, the less likely it is that they will be recommissioned.
(Image: EnBW / Bernd Franck, Düsseldorf)

Christian Democrats bring federal company for nuclear power plants into play

Berlin - The topic of nuclear energy remains under discussion - parts of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group are not letting up. If the operators do not want to, the state should possibly put the decommissioned nuclear power plants back into operation. This is what a circulating plan envisages.
Power 02/04/2025, 17:56
Reducing the expansion of offshore wind power is one way of slowing down the costs of the energy transition.
(Image: Ørsted)

Cheaper energy transition through adjusted expansion targets

Berlin - Federal subsidies are to reduce the price of electricity by 5 cents per kWh. However, the costs of the electricity system remain unchanged. A study, which has now been presented in Berlin, shows how the costs could be reduced by several billion.
Market & Industry 02/04/2025, 17:52
The fluidised bed boiler in Cologne-Merkenich supplied process steam, district heating and electricity.
(Image: Stadtwerke Köln GmbH)

Rheinenergie takes lignite-fired boiler off the grid

Cologne - It was "Maach et joot" (Cologne dialect for "take care" or "Farewell and all the best") for the fluidised bed boiler at the Merkenich combined heat and power plant. RheinEnergie has shut down the coal-fired boiler after 35 years of operation.
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Politics

Politics 02/04/2025, 15:44
In the view of the Economic Council, the reforms in ETS I weaken the competitiveness of German industry and business.
(Image: Envato/Grey_Coast_Media)

Economic Council calls for special climate account for companies

Berlin - The CDU-affiliated lobby organisation is calling for an amendment to EU emissions trading. Business and industry should be repaid revenues from CO2 pricing via a special account. The aim is to create more scope for investment in climate protection measures.
Politics 02/04/2025, 15:21

German government cancels CO2 certificates

Berlin - The Federal Cabinet has decided to cancel CO2 emission certificates in order to ensure the climate protection effect of the coal phase-out. The background to this is the decommissioning of the Neurath A and Frechen power plant units in 2022.
Politics 02/04/2025, 14:26

EU Commission flexibilises CO2 regulation for cars

Brussels - The car industry is threatening to miss its CO2 targets in the EU for the current year. The EU Commission is now making concessions and relaxing the CO2 emission targets for new cars and light commercial vehicles. The companies are to be given three years' time.
Politics 01/04/2025, 16:47

Much criticism of Regulation 2.0

Berlin - Regulation 2.0 is in the works. Municipal utilities fear a 30 per cent drop in the revenue cap, while the judge of the Third Cartel Senate at the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court has significantly more work to do. Not an easy event for Achim Zerres, who represented the position of the Federal Network Agency at the regulatory conference.
Politics 01/04/2025, 12:08

The Renewable Energy Sources Act is 25 years old

Essen - On 1 April 2000, one of Germany's most influential and controversial laws came into force. energate looks back on the 25-year history of the Renewable Energy Sources Act.
All news in the rubric Politics

Market & Industry

Market & Industry 02/04/2025, 15:52
The mobile IT/OT hardware demonstrators from the Fraunhofer IOSB enable practical simulation.
(Image: Martin Käßler, Fraunhofer IOSB-AST)

With gamification towards higher cyber security

Karlsruhe - For operators of critical infrastructure, the topic of cyber security is a constant companion. The Fraunhofer IOSB is now offering a new training model in its learning lab in which specialists can use gamification and simulation to gain practical experience in an emergency…
Market & Industry 02/04/2025, 15:29

Green process heat: industry seeks the ideal solution

Essen - Until now, industry has mainly relied on fossil fuels to generate process heat. This is set to change. But the road to achieving this is rocky, as an event organised by the Essen-based GWI showed. This is also due to the lack of a hydrogen ramp-up. Instead, ammonia could become a beacon of hope.
Market & Industry 02/04/2025, 15:12

Municipal utilities face challenges in the prosumer market

Bielefeld - Dynamic electricity tariffs are now mandatory for all suppliers. However, many municipal utilities are finding it difficult to implement them. There are many reasons for this, and several arguments in favour of entering this business segment, even beyond the threat of penalties. This was demonstrated at a VKU symposium in Bielefeld.
Market & Industry 02/04/2025, 15:09

Banks put together financial package for renewable energies

Hanover/Luxembourg - The banks Nord LB and EIB are joining forces to finance renewable energies in Europe. The financial institutions are providing a total of 165 million euros to finance new projects. The partnership is aimed at accelerating the energy transition.
Market & Industry 02/04/2025, 12:48

Ex-Badenova board member Hölscher becomes consultant

Aachen - A new role for the former grid director of Badenova: Heinz-Werner Hölscher has joined the Aachen-based consulting firm BET as an associate partner.
All news in the rubric Market & Industry

Power

Power 02/04/2025, 17:15
Bavaria's Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger warns of grid problems in times of high solar power feed-in.
(Image: Alfred Ritter GmbH)

Aiwanger calls for stricter rules for solar installations

Munich/Berlin - Bavaria's Minister of Economics, Hubert Aiwanger, is pushing for faster controllability of photovoltaic systems. He criticises the current PV peak law as being too hesitant and demands clear regulations from the government to prevent grid overloads.
Power 02/04/2025, 14:05

50 Hertz launches reactive power market

Berlin - The transformation of the energy system also requires changes concerning system stability. In the case of reactive power - similar to balancing energy - renewable energy plants should take on more system responsibility. The transmission system operator 50 Hertz has now successfully introduced the market-based procurement of reactive power.
Power 02/04/2025, 13:59

"Special assets: Funds for seaports are needed urgently"

Berlin - Germany is at risk of falling behind in the expansion of offshore wind. In his guest comment, Stefan Thimm from the German offshore wind energy association BWO calls for massive investment in seaports - not only for the energy transition, but also for industrial sovereignty and security.
Power 02/04/2025, 13:54

Flexible charging: Pilot project enters next phase

Stuttgart/Munich - The 'OctoFlexBW' project controls e-car charging processes in a targeted manner to avoid grid bottlenecks. Initial tests have been successful and the technology is now being expanded for more vehicles. A regulatory framework is also required.
Power 01/04/2025, 17:00

Old electricity grid hinders Europe's efforts towards autonomy

Luxembourg - A successful energy transition requires modern electricity grids. After all, the electrification of transport, heating and industry requires huge amounts of electricity. However, the European grid is not prepared for these tasks, warns the European Court of Auditors - and has come up with solutions.
All news in the rubric Power

Gas & Heat

Gas & Heat 02/04/2025, 16:30
At the HydroNet Symposium, discussions centred around political measures and threats.
(Image: Westenergie AG)

HydroNet: Sauerland becomes a hydrogen region

Arnsberg - The Arnsberg hydrogen project HydroNet shows how industrial SMEs can make the transition to an H2 economy without any EU funding. While Germany is catching up in the hydrogen market, competition from China remains a constant challenge.
Gas & Heat 02/04/2025, 16:14

Heat from data centre

Berlin - Two data centres will soon be supplying more than 10,000 people in Berlin with waste heat. Engie, Gasag Solution Plus and NTT Data have celebrated the signing of the contract. The project is expected to save 6,000 tonnes of CO2.
Gas & Heat 02/04/2025, 14:10

"Challenges on the customer side persist"

Nordhorn - In Lower Saxony, transmission system operator Nowega is filling a converted natural gas pipeline with hydrogen for the first time. The pipeline is part of the Get-H2 project. energate spoke to Nowega's Managing Director Frank Heunemann about the project.
Gas & Heat 02/04/2025, 13:28

Earthquake registered near Oldenburg

Hanover - In the district of Oldenburg, the Lower Saxony Earthquake Service has registered another earthquake that is probably connected with natural gas extraction.
Gas & Heat 01/04/2025, 17:26

Legally compliant mapping of costs for H2-ready investments

Essen - The law firm Rosin Büdenbender, which specialises in energy law, has presented a legal opinion on gas grid transformation. It addresses questions regarding the refinancing of costs for H2-ready measures and new H2 construction measures via the natural gas regulatory regime.
All news in the rubric Gas & Heat