Germany has earmarked €200bn ($219bn) for its Energiewende (energy transition) in coming years to wean itself off fossil energy imports from Russia in the wake of threats by the Kremlin to cut Europe’s largest economy off its gas supplies.
“We want to become more independent in our energy supply. I speak of freedom energies, renewable energies that make us more independent of others,” finance minister Christian Lindner (from the liberal Free Democrats) told the ARD public television Sunday.
“I assume that we will earmark about €200bn by 2026 for climate protection, charging infrastructure, hydrogen technology, the modernisation of industry, and the abolition of the EEG (Renewable Energy Act) surcharge to relieve consumers.”
