Climate protection: designated coalition gives the green light

The SPD, Greens and FDP presented their long-awaited agreement on Wednesday. At its heart lie climate protection and a commitment to put Germany on the path toward limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Regarding renewable energies, all the signs are pointing toward growth – albeit with one slight downside.

“The new German Federal Government is set to make the growth of renewable energies a central project on its agenda.” That is what it says in the coalition agreement. Among the agreed aims are a commitment to increase the proportion of gross electricity consumption accounted for by renewable energies to 80% by 2030, when electricity demand is forecast to be between 680 TWh and 750 TWh, and directing climate, energy and economic policy with a view to limiting global warming to 1.5°C. The coalition also wants to ensure that the CO2 price does not fall below €60 per metric ton nationwide over the long term and will also aim for 10 GW of electrolysis capacity by 2030. In doing so, the future Federal Government wants to make Germany a technology-friendly and – without compromising on its commitment to phase out nuclear power – climate-neutral nation by 2045 at the latest.

Photovoltaics to play a key role

The coalition wants photovoltaics to play a key role in the achievement of these goals. By 2030, the current nationwide PV capacity of around 60 GW is to be more than tripled to 200 GW. To ensure the massively increased capacity required for achieving this target, all suitable roof surfaces are to be utilized for power generation. New commercial properties will be subject to an obligation to use solar technology. In addition, the compulsory tendering procedure for PV systems on commercial roofs producing power of between 300 kWp and 750 kWp is to be reviewed. To ensure that PV systems become the norm on the roofs of private homes, too, all the bureaucratic hurdles and other obstacles surrounding grid connections, certifications and so on are to be eliminated.

And when it comes to electric vehicles, the future government has set some ambitious targets. Germany is to become the leading market for what it calls “e-mobility;” charging terminal infrastructure is to be expanded enormously, and at least 15 million all-electric cars are to be on Germany’s roads by 2030.

Germany can recapture its leading role in climate protection

All in all, the future German Federal Government is creating just the right conditions for making Germany a pioneer in climate protection once again – albeit with one slight downside, which is that the fossil-fuel phase-out is to be completed “ideally” by 2030. I would like to have seen a much clearer commitment to this target year. But if all the measures agreed upon in the coalition agreement are implemented, climate-damaging coal-fired generation in Germany will soon be a thing of the past anyway.

It will be interesting to see how the coalition parties develop climate protection legislation over the coming year as announced and what form the emergency climate protection program promised in the coalition agreement will take with all the necessary laws, regulations and measures. I hope that the parties will not waver from the path that they have embarked upon and will implement all the highly promising measures outlined in the coalition agreement, right down to the very last detail.

Here SMA CEO Jürgen Reinert writes about topics that move him.