Vattenfall: Vattenfall-Manager: Brauchen ein neues Wort für Energiewende

Vattenfall-CEO Robert Zurawski believes the ideologically charged debate surrounding the so-called Energiewende, or energy transition, presents a problem with the term itself. "I sometimes get the feeling that the word Energiewende puts more people off with skepticism than with a fresh start," Zurawski told Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

He suggests reconsidering the term, urging the need to move away from ideological thinking. Despite this, the energy sector executive maintains that the expansion of renewable energy in Germany is on the right track. "In reality, the transformation is happening because it is economically the best solution," he said. "Go around the country and you'll see progress everywhere."

He points to examples in the United States, where Texas is building a lot of onshore wind energy and California is embracing solar power, including advancements in photovoltaics, batteries, and onshore wind. Zurawski emphasizes that decarbonization is the route to secure energy. "No political party can ignore the reality that the economy needs affordable and secure energy," he stressed.

The recent government decisions on Germany's energy policy align with his views. "The federal government has done its homework, and the Minister of Economy has done a good job," he noted. However, he calls for more urgency, particularly in the expansion of power lines. He also emphasizes the importance of addressing public resistance to expansion projects.

"We've had good experiences involving people not only in communication but also by informing them transparently beforehand and involving them in community solar or wind projects," Zurawski explained. "Often, people complain about what they see without any benefit. And we can actively change that." The Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) amendment and the so-called Netzauftrag package aim to align the expansion of renewables more with cost-efficiency, supply security, and actual network capacity.

Specifically, a stronger regional control of power purchase is planned, along with the phasing out of small, typically privately-owned solar installations with less than 25 kilowatts installed capacity starting from 2027. The German Renewable Energy Federation criticized the government's decision in July, arguing that the expansion targets for renewables based on these plans would likely not be achievable.