A Pact to Accelerate the Expansion of Renewable Energies. Now.

Sustainably Securing Energy Supply for Business and Society

In view of the Russian crisis, the Foundation KlimaWirtschaft has published a paper with measures to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies and strengthen security of supply. The measures were developed in close exchange with leading German companies.  

“We strongly condemn Russia’s illegal attack on Ukraine,” said Sabine Nallinger, Managing Director of Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft – German CEO Alliance for Climate and Economy. It is already clear that this war will also represent a historic rupture for German and European energy and climate policy.

Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft therefore welcomes the resolve with which the German government has announced the necessary steps for a responsible and far-sighted energy policy. The aspect of security of supply must be re-evaluated in the process. If natural gas had thus far been viewed as a “bridge” to a climate-neutral energy supply, a strategy must now be developed without delay to complete the transition to a climate-neutral economy securely and independently of Russian gas.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) is currently working intensively on a plan to strengthen Germany’s security of supply. The initial cornerstones of the strategy were outlined by Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Habeck. In addition to measures to secure a sufficient supply of natural gas and liquid natural gas in the short to medium term, an accelerated expansion of renewable energies and increased energy efficiency are the most effective measures in the long term to reduce German import dependence on fossil fuels.

Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft expressly welcomes this initiative: “The expansion of renewable energies has always made sense in climate policy terms. Now it has become clear that it is also a security policy necessity,” said Sabine Nallinger. “We must now press ahead with ensuring our independence from fossil energies with greater urgency and resolve. A pact for accelerating the roll-out of renewable energies is needed now to achieve this goal,” Nallinger continued.

In a dialogue with leading German businesses from nearly all sectors of the economy, Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft has now published a 10-point plan for such a pact. It includes:

• A “kickstart initiative” at the state and federal levels to accelerate planning and approval processes. These should be reduced to the technical minimum and limited to a duration of 1 year.
• Tight control over the expansion of renewable energy in the federal states. Renewable energy expansion targets should be defined for all federal states and adopted in a binding federal-state agreement on the basis of a criteria-based analysis of potentials. Particularly restrictive distance rules for wind turbines at the state level must be lifted quickly.
• Increased local acceptance of renewable energies expansion. For this purpose, the voluntary financial contributions by operators of wind power plants and ground-mounted PV plants to affected municipalities provided for in EEG 2021 § 6 should be made binding and extended to existing plants as well as plants outside the remit of the EEG.
• More attractive and reliable frameworks for subsidy-free business models with renewable energies. An ambitious expansion target for non-subsidised renewable installations is needed quickly. Important implementation issues such as permissible contract durations for long-term direct contracts for electricity from renewables (green PPAs) must be clarified quickly. Possible disadvantages for energy-intensive businesses in terms of the electricity price compensation should be eliminated quickly.
• An accelerated transition to renewable heating. The ban on the use of oil and coal heating systems lacking the required share of renewable energies as planned in the Building Energy Act for 2026, should be significantly brought forward. A quota for renewable district heating should be introduced and funding for the conversion of heating networks increased.
• An accelerated H₂ ramp-up. The 20-year exemption from grid charges for electrolysers installed before 2026 and designed to serve the system should be lifted. The climate protection contracts announced for industrial companies should be introduced as quickly as possible.
• Consistent frameworks for electromobility, especially charging infrastructure. The abolition of the EEG surcharge should be combined with the removal of bureaucratic hurdles to the installation of charging stations by businesses, especially the metrological demarcation of third-party charging processes.

“The German government must now act decisively to avoid short-term supply bottlenecks and economic disruptions, but also to sustainably ensure a secure energy supply in the medium and long term,” said Sabine Nallinger. “With a pact that accelerates the expansion of renewable energies, the German federal government can build on the support of private businesses.”

About Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft (previously Stiftung 2°)

The KlimaWirtschaft Foundation is an initiative of CEOs, managing directors, and family businesses. It was founded in 2011 under the name Stiftung 2° and changed its name to Stiftung KlimaWirtschaft in 2021. The aim of the non-profit foundation is to promote climate action and the sustainable use of natural resources. To this end, the KlimaWirtschaft Foundation pools and activates the willingness of German companies to take responsibility, but also their innovative strength and problem-solving expertise. It approaches politicians in order to point out concrete possibilities for the transformation to climate neutrality. The foundation works independently of political parties and across sectors and industries. The foundation’s supporters are: AIDA Cruises, ALDI SÜD Dienstleistungs-GmbH & Co. oHG, Allianz SE, Aurubis AG, DAIKIN Airconditioning Germany GmbH, Deutsche Bahn AG, Deutsche Post DHL Group, DEUTSCHE ROCKWOOL GmbH & Co. KG, Deutsche Telekom AG, Deutsche Wohnen SE, Dirk Rossmann GmbH, DRÄXLMAIER Group, EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, Unternehmensgruppe Gegenbauer, GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG, GOLDBECK GmbH, HeidelbergCement AG, INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH/ALBA Services Holding GmbH, Lanxess AG, Otto Group, OTTO FUCHS KG, Papier- und Kartonfabrik Varel GmbH & Co. KG, Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG, PUMA SE, Salzgitter AG, Schüco International KG, Schwäbisch Hall-Stiftung bauen-wohnen-leben, thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG, Union Asset Management Holding AG, VTG Aktiengesellschaft, Wacker Chemie AG.