energy
Countries demand “competitive electricity prices” for industry
At Schloss Meseberg, the federal cabinet is discussing, among other things, a state-subsidized industrial electricity price. photo
© Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert/dpa
Energy prices put many sectors under pressure. Is there a threat of large consumers such as the chemical industry migrating? Seven federal states see this as an acute danger – and want to take countermeasures.
In view of the high Energy prices demanded by the federal government to take measures to strengthen the economic sector.
“Without resolute countermeasures, there is an acute danger that production and thus jobs will be relocated to more cost-effective locations abroad,” warned the states of Bavaria, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and the Rhineland, which are members of the “Alliance of States with Sites for the Chemical Industry”. -Palatinate, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt in an appeal that is available to the German Press Agency. Among other things, the countries advocate “an internationally competitive electricity price”.
First, the “Handelsblatt” reported on the appeal entitled “Preservation of the chemical industry in Germany”. An internationally competitive electricity price must also be open to energy-intensive medium-sized companies and operators of chemical parks, it said. To this end, the electricity tax should be reduced to the European minimum rate, surcharges and fees should be limited and the elimination of peak equalization in the electricity tax after 2024 should be avoided. The federal states also spoke out in favor of introducing a “temporary bridge electricity price”, as proposed by Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens).
Lindner wants to “find better ways”
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner is open to lowering the electricity tax. “We can also think about reducing the electricity tax if there is money for it,” said the FDP leader on Tuesday evening in the ARD “Tagesthemen”. At the same time, Lindner reiterated his no to a subsidized industrial electricity price. “We have to find other, better ways to reduce energy prices in Germany,” emphasized the minister.
Allianz continued to argue that the high energy prices intensified international locational competition and made investments in greenhouse gas-neutral technologies more difficult. The chemical industry is particularly affected. “An exodus of energy-intensive industries (including chemicals, pharmaceuticals, glass, metal, paper) would cause considerable damage to the German economy,” the seven federal states warned.
In addition, the country representatives in the paper call for security of energy supply, for example through the expansion of renewable energies and a faster expansion of the power grids and the acceleration of planning and approval processes. The chemical industry also needs well-trained specialists.