Energiewende: Reiche bremst bei Stromnetz-Ausbau – Deutschland verliert Anschluss

Germany's ambitious Energiewende, or energy transition, is struggling to keep pace with other industrial nations, according to a report by Hitachi Energy, a leading global provider of grid infrastructure. Despite being dependent on fossil fuels such as gas and oil, countries like China, Japan and Sweden have successfully transitioned a significant portion of their energy consumption to electricity, with the latter two seeing a sharp increase in recent years.

Meanwhile, Germany's reliance on fossil fuels has remained relatively unchanged at 78 percent of its energy consumption.

Hitachi Energy's CEO Andreas Schierenbeck argues that the rapid electrification of industry, transport and heating is the only sustainable way to reduce dependence on oil and gas imports. However, in contrast to other energy giants, Hitachi Energy adopts a cautious approach when it comes to Germany's energy needs. Germany currently accounts for only 20 percent of its energy consumption through electricity, with the remaining portions allocated to sectors such as transport, buildings and industry.

Schierenbeck has based his projections on a comprehensive system study conducted by his company in collaboration with Fraunhofer ISE, EY Parthenon and Fichtner. This study differentiates between two scenarios: a "Prosperity" scenario and a "Stagnation" scenario. Under the Prosperity scenario, Germany's electricity demand is expected to rise from 487 TWh in 2022 to 1015 TWh by 2045, while the Stagnation scenario predicts 895 TWh by the same year.

Projections of energy demand are politically sensitive due to their impact on the goals of renewable energy expansion and grid expansion. Hitachi Energy asserts that it is the world's largest grid infrastructure provider, surpassing Siemens Energy and GE Vernova. However, Germany's Federal Economy Minister Katharina Reiche (CDU) relies on more conservative energy demand forecasts, suggesting that the country's electricity demand will at least stay at the lower end of the range in the short term.

One of the reasons for Reiche's cautious stance is the high cost of grid expansion, which is expected to amount to billions of euros in the coming years. These costs will be passed on to consumers. Reiche's recommendation for a slower grid expansion rate aligns with her concern over the affordability of the process for consumers.

Critics argue that the slow pace of grid expansion will hinder Germany's ability to transition to renewable energy sources, as it will not have the necessary capacity to accommodate the influx of electricity generated by these sources. Schierenbeck emphasizes the need for an efficient planning process and accelerated approval procedures for new grid infrastructure. He believes that the primary bottleneck in grid expansion is the lengthy licensing process, which often takes longer than the actual implementation.

Hitachi Energy's Schierenbeck warns that cutting corners in grid expansion would result in a loss of competitiveness for Germany. He stresses that infrastructure development is a key driver of growth and that an ambitious grid expansion is a prerequisite for the rapid electrification of the nation.