• Germany edition
Business & Money
Photo: DPA

Minister: 30 percent power cost rise dubious

Published: 27 Aug 12 10:52 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/money/20120827-44597.html

The Environment Minister dismissed warnings from power giants Vattenfall and RWE on Monday that electricity prices would increase by a third by 2020, as dubious.

Head of power company RWE Peter Terium told Monday’s Bild newspaper that electricity prices would rocket because the shift to renewable energy was likely to cost more than anticipated and non-renewable fuels such as coal and gas were becoming more expensive.

This was backed up by head of production for Vattenfall Europe Tuomo Hatakka, who told the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper on Monday that prices of electricity could rise by 30 percent by 2020.

Capital expenditure of €150 billion would be necessary over the next decade alone to enable to transition to greener power, he added.

“Switching to renewable energy is a giant experiment,” Terium told Bild, adding that it was “one that will cost a lot of time and money.”

But Environment Minister Peter Altmeier was quick to dismiss the pair's prognoses as “dubious”, and said that as Germany moved to renewable power, it was a question of how it was organised that would determine whether consumers pay more for energy.

Keeping prices within a “sustainable framework” was one of his aims, the Christian Democrat politician said on Monday.

He added that new predictions cropped up every day, which was not helping to calm the country's discussion about electricity.

Altmeier added that the rise in electricity costs over recent years had been linked to coal and gas becoming more expensive, something he maintained has nothing to do with switching over to sustainable power.

DAPD/The Local/jcw

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Business & Money headlines
Photo: DPA

Economists warn against German euro exit

While a third of Germans would rather pay with the old Deutsche mark than the euro, economists warn that a German exit from the currency union would result in a disaster. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Germany cool to France's EU economy plan

Germany said Friday that French President Francois Hollande's proposal for a eurozone economic government was "interesting" but reacted coolly to his call for strengthened European budgetary powers. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Au pairs rules relax for non-German families

Foreign families will soon be able to officially engage au pairs from outside the European Union, as long as they speak German at home, as the government prepares to change the law. READ () »

Wolfgang Schäuble and his French counterpart Pierre Moscovici. Photo: DPA

Germany refuses to slam French economic policy

Germany will not publicly criticize France over economic policy, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble insisted on Thursday, amid differences between Berlin and Paris over growth versus austerity in battling the eurozone debt crisis. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Capri-Sun drink wins false advertising award

A German food industry watchdog singled out drinks-maker Capri-Sun for its annual advertising "award" on Thursday, for what the group described as "shameless" marketing of sugary drinks to children. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Anaemic economy feels winter chill

The German economy, Europe's biggest, clocked up anaemic growth at the start of 2013 as the freezing winter weather put the brakes on activity, official data showed on Wednesday. READ () »

Photo: DPA

ThyssenKrupp bins 3,000 admin jobs

German heavy industry giant ThyssenKrupp said on Wednesday it plans to axe 3,000 administrative jobs worldwide as disastrous investments in steel operations overseas tore holes in its balance sheet in the second quarter. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Pay deal for metal workers averts strike

Germany's powerful union IG Metall agreed a pay deal with the metal industry's employers association early Wednesday, averting the threat of a major strike. READ () »

Photo: DPA

First ever strike hits Amazon's German unit

German employees of Amazon staged their first-ever walkouts on Tuesday as the US internet retail giant was hit by a dispute over pay. READ () »

Photo: DPA

Volkswagen plans giant car plant in China

German auto giant Volkswagen will build a plant in central China, a spokesman said Tuesday, as it battles US rival General Motors to be the top foreign automaker in the world's biggest car market. READ () »

More Business & Money

See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

792 jobs available
611 new jobs this week
28 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Latest Business & Money news from Sweden
News from the Goethe-Institut
News from DeutschlandOnline

Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!
Little house in Spain
'Charming, old, beamed cottage for holiday let in Jesus Pobre, Alicante, Spain
www.littlehouseinspain.com/
Albatross Insurance
Professional and qualified consultancy on all insurance and finance matters in Germany, Telephone: +49 2163 571 1740, Email: bg@albatross-assurance.com
www.albatross-assurance.com
Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.