EU plans for nuclear and gas energy: endurance test for the traffic light

The EU wants to classify nuclear power and natural gas as sustainable. That could put the federal government to the test. The Greens in particular are in need of an explanation.

The excitement is great among many Greens: The EU Commission wants to include energy generation from nuclear power and gas in the so-called taxonomy – a kind of seal of approval for climate and environmental friendliness, which potential investors should use in the future as a guide.

The taxonomy is about an EU standard for sustainable investments, says the deputy federal chairman of the Greens, Ricarda Lang, in ARD morning magazine. “And the fact that nuclear power and gas are now being taken up costs the credibility and also the importance of this sustainability goal on the financial market.”

Robert Habeck, the Green Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, even spoke of “greenwashing” in an initial reaction over the weekend.

Agreement on atomic energy

When it comes to nuclear power, things are clear to the Ampel-Coalition, as government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit affirmed today: “The Federal Republic of Germany rejects the peaceful use of nuclear energy. We consider nuclear technology dangerous, we still consider the waste problem to be unresolved.”

When it comes to generating energy from gas, however, things are very different. “We are accelerating the expansion of renewable energies and the construction of modern gas-fired power plants,” says the coalition agreement between the SPD, FDP and the Greens. The traffic light coalition relies on gas-fired power plants as a bridging technology. Also because the last three nuclear power plants are to be shut down at the end of the year – and not all of the electricity needs can be met by wind power or solar systems for the time being. Gas would replace coal, which emits significantly more CO2.

New gas-fired power plants have to be built

In addition to the 70 existing gas-fired power plants, more are to be added, which the industry welcomes very much. “Germany needs a lot of new gas-fired power plants because we are getting out of nuclear and coal. If we want to achieve the climate targets with a secure supply, we have to build considerably more gas-fired power plants in Germany “says Timm Kehler from the association” Zukunft Gas “.

Kehler assumes that the capacity of the gas-fired power plants will have to be increased by two thirds. The additional power plants are to be built in such a way that fossil natural gas can be replaced by climate-friendly hydrogen in the foreseeable future. Provided there is enough hydrogen at some point and the whole thing pays off, says Kehler.

Greenpeace calls for an end date for natural gas

According to the ideas of the traffic light government, the electricity mix will look like this in 2030: 80 percent will be supplied by renewables, the rest by gas-fired power plants, which are also supposed to compensate for lulls in wind and solar. And for the goal of climate neutrality in 2045, the gas power plants would have to be operated with hydrogen by then.

Environmental groups like Greenpeace recognize that bridging technology is needed. However, according to Gerald Neubauer of Greenpeace, Germany will soon have to get out of natural gas use: “Greenpeace calls for natural gas to be phased out by 2035 and a 100% supply of renewable energies by 2035.”

Trouble with climate activists threatens

However, the traffic light parties have not committed themselves to such an end date for natural gas. So there could be trouble with organized climate activists – for example, if a new gas-fired power plant is to be built somewhere.

That would be particularly unpleasant for the Greens. Probably the reason why they complain particularly loudly about the Brussels taxonomy plans. According to the motto: We can’t avoid new gasworks – but you don’t have to give them the sustainability seal of approval right away.

According to government spokesman Hebestreit, the traffic light coalition now wants to discuss the EU Commission’s proposal and take a position in the course of January.