Point eleven o’clock was closing in Frimmersdorf, a good week ago. After about 50 years, last two blocks of lignite power plant in Rhineland went off grid- great coalition had mod m. The question is: how many will follow soon?
If union, FDP and Greens soon explore ir coalition, this will be one of most sensitive issues. With little, Greens are beyond in election campaign as with coal phase-out. Already until 2020, so y demanded, 20 dirtiest coal power plants would have to go off grid. A coal exit law is to ensure that until 2030 no electricity is extracted from coal. For Greens, issue is about principles and credibility. “The coal phase-out is a key issue for us,” says Green politician Annalena Baerbock, who also sits in her party’s 14-member exploratory team. “There is no way around it because of Paris climate agreement.”
The FDP is also about principles: market principles. Energy policy, Liberals had demanded in election campaign, “should not become a prohibition policy.” “We want market-based incentives and no renunciation and ban ideology with state rein,” it was said in electoral programme. State rein-a decreed coal withdrawal is nothing else from FDP’s point of view. The party would rar rely on Europe’s emissions trading. It forces power plant operators to demonstrate a certificate for each tonne of carbon dioxide. Because quantity of allowances is limited, a price is formed-which n increases use of coal. However, emissions trading has been on intensive care unit for several years: surcharge for climate pollution is marginal, effect is close to zero. The revival has not been successful.
The pressure to reach agreement is great, also for chancellor. Angela Merkel has her own climate target in her neck, proclaimed 2009 from a black-yellow coalition: Until 2020, CO2 emissions should have fallen by 40 percent below value of 1990. However, three years before deadline, more than ten percentage points are missing. And since election campaign, Merkel is in word: “We will find ways how we can meet our 40 percent target by 2020”, she replied at one of electoral arenas of a participant. “I promise you.”
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Without shutdown of coal-fired power plants, this is unlikely to succeed: y represent a third of all emissions in country. Unlike in road transport, in heating cellars or livestock stalls, a chancellor’s promise can even be put into place in short term. Just: How?
The outgoing coalition wanted to raise a “climate levy” for purpose. The levy should make older power plants less profitable and thus force m out of market. But project of Economic Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) failed at resistance of coal lobby and trade unions. The “Safety readiness” remained: at five old coal-fired power plants, blocks are retired to go completely off grid after four years-including two blocks in Frimmersdorf, which have stood still since October 1. The catch: Until final out, electricity customers finance reserve. For example, euthanasia alone costs 1.6 billion euros for five power plants. The FDP will not be delighted at all: re are still almost a hundred ors.
