Lindner: "End dreams of phasing out coal-fired power in 2030"

Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner has questioned the date for the coal phase-out mentioned in the coalition agreement. "As long as it is not clear that energy is available and affordable, we should put an end to dreams of phasing out coal-fired power in 2030," the FDP politician told the "Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger."

In their coalition agreement, the SPD, Green and FDP parties had agreed to "ideally" bring forward the coal phase-out from 2038 to 2030.

"For the climate, this date does not bring anything anyway, because the CO2 emissions saved in Germany are allowed to occur additionally in Poland, for example, due to European rules," said the FDP minister.

The Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND), on the other hand, considers 2030 as a phase-out year to be indispensable in order to achieve the climate targets. "The CO2 certificates released in Germany thereby must be deleted, so that the emissions also do not occur elsewhere in Europe. False information does not become correct just because it is persistently repeated," BUND chairman Olaf Bandt said on Wednesday. The 2030 coal phase-out has long been on its way, he said. "Coal-fired power will soon no longer be needed due to the enormous market dynamics of renewable energies."

Criticism of Lindner's advance also came from coalition partner SPD. "The word "ideally" is not in the coalition agreement for nothing. The goal is not to discuss the date, but the measures we need now to quickly expand renewable energies," SPD parliamentary group vice chairman Matthias Miersch told the "Rheinische Post" (Thursday edition).

Lindner wants to rely on natural gas from Germany. "Domestic gas production must be intensified," he demanded. In addition, he said, the expansion of renewable energies must be made possible more quickly. Asked whether Germany needs new gas-fired power plants as a reserve in the energy mix, the FDP politician said, "It will come down to that, but the question is how this can be done so efficiently in a market economy that electricity prices do not rise further."

In Germany, the 2030 coal phase-out has already been set for the Rhenish coalfield. No such agreement has been reached for the Lusatian coalfield and the Central German lignitefield in the eastern German states.