cancellation Top meeting

“We very much regret the cancellation of tomorrow’s top meeting. But this must not stop the federal government from finally enshrining in law the 20 GW planned for offshore wind turbines in the climate protection program. Otherwise, the national greenhouse gas reduction targets can no longer be met,” says BWO board chairwoman Catrin Jung.

“In addition, a perspective for the period after 2030 must be created today,” Jung continues. Because due to the long planning horizons for offshore wind farms, preparations for the extension had to start in the 20s.

"The expansion corridor alone is not enough," adds BWO Managing Director Stefan Thimm. There is no sustainable model for refinancing renewable energy systems. In addition to the rapid establishment of the 20 GW target, the introduction of contracts for difference is the next logical step for the energy transition. “Contracts for difference relieve the burden on electricity consumers on the one hand, as system operators pay back any surpluses to the EEG account in the event of rising electricity prices. On the other hand, they also create greater investment security for the operator. Energy experts reckon that the electricity production costs could be reduced by 30-35 percent in this way, ”says Thimm. According to calculations by the German Institute for Economics, differential contracts could reduce the financing costs of the energy transition by a total of 800 million to 2,8 billion euros per year. This further development strengthens Germany as an industrial location in international competition and at the same time helps to preserve jobs.

It is particularly critical that the federal government meets its climate target, the national CO2- To reduce emissions by 2030 percent by 55 compared to 1990, with the measures decided so far will certainly not be achieved. In addition to the legal anchoring of 20 GW offshore wind by 2030, it is all the more important to set the right course for a cost-efficient expansion of renewable energies.

In a joint letter with WindEurope, the Offshore Wind Energy Foundation and the Federal Wind Energy Association, the BWO turned to State Secretary Andreas Feicht before the top meeting in order to dissolve the blockade that had arisen in the talks between the government groups with proposed solutions.

Both BWO board chairmen, Catrin Jung, as well as managing director, Stefan Thimm, had planned to take part in tomorrow's top meeting on offshore wind energy, which had to be canceled at short notice due to COVID19. The focus of the event should have been the question of what measures need to be taken to implement the 20 GW target for 2030.