Benjamin Wehrmann

2 weeks ago | cleanenergywire.org | Benjamin Wehrmann

Fossil fuels Renewables Government Conservative CDU member Katherina Reiche looks set to become Germany’s new economy and energy minister in a government led by Friedrich Merz as chancellor. Reiche looks back at ten years in the energy industry, where she assumed leading positions as one of only a handful of female CEOs after dropping out as a member of parliament in 2015.

3 weeks ago | cleanenergywire.org | Benjamin Wehrmann

Amid the international onslaught against climate action set in motion by the new US administration, the question whether a new German government will defend the landmark European Green Deal has become critical for the EU’s ambition to remain a global leader in progressive climate action. Germany, alongside Europe, has seen its certainty on security, trade, and diplomacy in the transatlantic relationship evaporate overnight, as Donald Trump assumed the role as US president for the second time.

3 weeks ago | cleanenergywire.org | Benjamin Wehrmann

Unfavourable weather conditions led to a decrease of renewable energy generation in Germany at the start of the year, outweighing a growth in renewable capacity, figures released by energy industry association BDEW and research institute ZSW have shown. With an output of roughly 63.5 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) between January and the end of March, renewables produced about 16 percent less electricity than in the first quarter of 2024.

3 weeks ago | cleanenergywire.org | Benjamin Wehrmann

Many people in Germany have no idea that the planned expansion of EU carbon pricing could significantly push up their fossil fuel heating costs, in some scenarios by well over 1,000 euros per year, a survey by heat pump company Aira has found. While a large majority could not adequately predict cost increases, nearly a quarter of respondents had not even heard of the upcoming reform, the company said.

3 weeks ago | cleanenergywire.org | Benjamin Wehrmann

The number of sunshine hours registered in Germany has constantly been on the rise over the past few decades, data by Germany’s Meteorological Service (DWD) has shown. Between 2011 and 2024, spring sunshine hours increased 19 percent compared to the 1961-1990 reference period, newspaper Tagesspiegel reported. Over an entire year, the increase was eight percent (121 hours) between 1991 and 2020 compared to the reference period.