The lack of Russian gas isn’t your problem, Germany

It was your willing dependency on it. And your systematic shutdown of reliable energy sources at home.

Green ideology got you here. Now sit back and enjoy it. And remember: You’re setting an example for the rest of the world.

Energy fears spur German industrials to seek investments abroad – Annual business survey finds concern over country’s future without Russian gas.

Nearly a third of German industrial companies are planning to boost production abroad rather than at home amid increasing concern over the country’s future without Russian gas, according to a closely watched annual survey.

The annual “Energy Transition Barometer” by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) found that 32 per cent of companies surveyed favoured investment abroad over domestic expansion. The figure was double the 16 per cent in last year’s survey.

Zero the Hero

Our Green superhero.

Only Kryptonite (also green) can stop him – otherwise known as the real world.

Germany set to miss net zero by 2045 target as climate efforts falter – German goals to cut greenhouse emissions by 65% by 2030 are likely to be missed, meaning a longer-term net zero by a 2045 target is also in doubt, reports by government climate advisers and the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) show.

The European Union has sought to be a climate leader and Germany has set itself more ambitious targets than the bloc as a whole, but in many countries politics and the economic crisis have pushed the climate crisis down the agenda.

Russia’s Economy Growing More Than Germany’s

Which isn’t hard to do. Germany’s economy isn’t growing at all.

Let’s call it the German Green New Deal.

Germany expected to be only major economy not to grow this year – According to the latest figures from the International Monetary Fund, Germany’s GDP is forecast to drop 0.3% this year while other countries continue to grow.

The German economy is still failing to grow, figures showed on Friday, as the country that should be the industrial powerhouse for all of Europe struggles with high energy prices, rising borrowing costs and a lagging rebound from key trading partner China…

In Germany, the economy has been buffeted by several challenges. Above all, its long-term dependence on Russian natural gas to fuel industry backfired when the invasion of Ukraine led to the loss of most of Moscow’s supply and to higher costs for energy-intensive industries such as metals, glass, cars and fertilizer.

The best we can offer you is five

Although originally shooting for at least ten, Germany’s Greens must now sheepishly admit that the best they can offer the country is five tough years of economic stagnation.

Germany faces 5 tough years, economy minister warns – Berlin should borrow money to subsidize energy for companies or risk losing its industry, Robert Habeck.

Germany faces five difficult years of green industrial transition that “will put a burden” on people, Economy Minister Robert Habeck warned — while urging his government to approve fresh subsidies to safeguard the country’s industrial base.

It’s not a slowdown…

It’s more like a Vollbremsung. That’s German for full braking or emergency stop.

Germany’s highest court just cancelled the Green’s latest rush-rush trick, I mean plan to save the planet at German taxpayers’ expense.

Germany’s Green Slowdown – While voters may still broadly support net zero goals, they’re not necessarily on board with the escalating costs of the transition.

… Today, it’s the Greens’ proposed ban on new gas boilers in homes that’s causing trouble. Against a backdrop of sliding poll ratings, the party’s partners in the coalition forced a dilution of the plan last month in a package that also included a massive road-building program.

In another blow to the policy — dubbed Habeck’s Heating Hammer by the opposition — Germany’s constitutional court has made a highly unusual intervention in the legislative process and ordered the government to give parliament more time to scrutinize the plan.

Green Hydrogen?

Do you mean green like in pink unicorns or like in red herrings?

I see. As in both.

How Germany’s Hydrogen Boom Stalled – Green hydrogen has the potential to heat millions of homes and keep German industry humming. So far, though, a lack of the environmentally friendly gas and the infrastructure needed to transport it have prevented its wide-scale use.

Welcome to the sobering hydrogen reality. While Germany hopes that it will soon be able to run basement gas heating systems on hydrogen, steel manufacturers are converting their production to the green gas at a cost of billions and energy companies are planning new power plants that will generate electricity from hydrogen, almost everything needed to make the climate-neutral dreams a reality in the near future is still lacking. The environmentally friendly hydrogen is missing, as are the pipeline networks to carry it across the country, not to mention reliable business models.

German Of The Day: Selbstversorgung

That means self-sufficiency.

The Big Dig: Germany reopens its mines in quest for mineral self-sufficiency – Berlin wants to reduce its dependence on China by extracting more critical raw materials, such as fluorspar, at home.

“If we really want a revolution in transport and the resources needed for that, there’s no way around this project.”

Germans Finally Ready For That Third Try

To save the world.

I mean, planet. To save the planet, of course.

Most Germans ready to make sacrifices for planet — survey – Germans said they were prepared to cut their heat use and fly less to help tackle climate change. But most are reluctant to give up meat and their cars, according to a YouGov poll.

Two-thirds of Germans are willing to make a personal sacrifice to protect the planet against climate change, a new survey published Sunday suggested.

The YouGov survey on behalf of Welt am Sonntag newspaper also found 43% were willing to fly less often, while 40% were prepared to use less heat.

The participants, however, said they were reluctant to accept curbs on what they could eat. Less than a third (27%) said they were prepared to change their diet.

German Of The Day: Alleingang

That means going it alone.

This guy still lives in the real world. And can do simple arithmetic. So he doesn’t have a chance in hell. Good luck anyway.

Bavaria mulls reopening nuclear plant under state control – Hours after Germany closed its last three nuclear power plants, one state premier has sought powers to partially reverse the decision. A law change would allow Bavaria to operate the Isar 2 power station, he said.

“Mugged By Reality”

That’s a great way to put it. But hey. It’s what the Germans want.

Nobody else gets it, of course. Personally, I think it’s just good old-fashioned German megalomania again. Only this time they’re saving the planet instead of conquering the world.

Germans Are Getting Mugged by Reality of Green Energy (the last German nuclear reactors are being shut down tomorrow).

“The impact [of the energy crisis] is easy to say, I just have a lot less money. I now pay a quarter more in electricity since the Ukraine war started. The annual Warmmiete [warm rent] that I pay, which covers rent, heating, and hot water, is now 20% higher, not including the additional costs I have to pay at the end of the year. There are some people using only natural gas as a heating source who are paying 55% more.”