Energy and Climate Law

It has been the central backbone of Germany`s energy turnaround, the Renewable Energy Act (Erneuerbare Energien Gesetz). Enacted in 2001, it survived several amendments and revisions, changing from a feed-in tariff regime to a, specific German, feed-in premium modell. The current EEG stems from 2017 and by that time some fundamental changes were made to the system, as discussed on this blog . Now the german government decided to, once again, amend the EEG to accelerate the faltering energy turnaround. The new EEG amendments (so called EEG Novelle 2021 ) shall come into force on 1 January 2021. By 2030 65 % of electricity in Germany shall come from renewable sources and by 2050 the share will be 100%. This blog entry critically reflects upon the main amendments to the EEG that the government proposes and identifies four crunchpoints.

Until 2030 the EU shall emit 55 % less Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG), compared to 1990 levels. This is the aim of a new communication reflecting Ursula von der Leyen`s State of the Union-Speech but also plans by `Green New Deal´-Commissioner Frans Timmermans to sharpen the `European Green Deal´ of the European Commission. But given considerable issues with details of the plan, question marks are looming. This blog entry is taking a critical look at the new, ambitious plans of the European Commission and analyzes the underlying document that has been launched yesterday.

Germany is in the midst of fundamentally restructuring its energy sector. The country wants to close the last nuclear power plant by 2022 and simultaneously phase-out coal by 2038 at latest. Both processes are laborious, but while discussions and expropriation claims surrounding the nuclear phase-out have been largely settled, similar discussions about financial compensation for owners and operators of coal fired power plants in Germany gather pace. Now the government is pushing ahead with settling compensation - but not via a law but via a public law contract. This blog entry provides background information on the decision and critically reflects upon it.