Germany’s “climate” goals require it to phase out its fossil fuel and nuclear power plants in the near future (the nukes will be abandoned this year, while the fossil fuels will persist for a little while longer). Eventually the country will have to rely on wind turbines and solar panels. After examining the logistics for how this transition will be accomplished, the relevant bureaucratic entities have begun to realize that the process will be very expensive.

Many thanks to Hellequin GB for translating this article from the German-language service of the Epoch Times. The translator’s comments are in square brackets:

New wind turbines in Germany are becoming more and more expensive

After a top-level meeting with representatives of the renewable energy sector, the Federal Ministry of Economics compiled initial measures on how the expansion of wind and solar power in Germany could be accelerated. This is reported by Der Spiegel in its latest issue. Accordingly, Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is considering default guarantees for the wind industry: If a construction project fails, the state could first take over the wind turbines — and then pass them on to another project developer.

Enormous raw material requirements for Habeck’s energy transition plans

The EEG (Renewable Energy Sources Act) expansion targets specified by Habeck require enormous amounts of raw materials. Up to 1.8 million tons of copper, 95 million tons of cement and 30 million tons of steel would be needed to build wind and solar power plants, reports Der Spiegel, citing the think tank Agora.

In view of rising raw material prices, this means an enormous financial burden for the green electricity sector. A tonne of copper currently costs twice as much as it did two years ago, and steel almost three times as much. The price caprioles have an immediate impact on the wind energy industry.

As a result, orders for new wind turbines are currently declining. Many manufacturers have so-called sliding clauses in their supply contracts: If raw material costs rise, the prices for systems also rise. Small community energy companies in particular cannot bear this risk. The cash-strapped wind turbine builders, on the other hand, hardly produce for stock. This could stall the expansion of wind energy.

“The plant manufacturers could start producing like this”

Default guarantees are intended to solve the blockade. “The plant manufacturers could start producing like this,” said State Secretary Oliver Krischer to Der Spiegel. They wouldn’t have to worry about getting stuck on their pinwheels. [Sure, the Taxpayer can bleed some more, I guess.]

According to Der Spiegel, further measures are also being discussed. A working group in the ministry is to deal with the procurement of raw materials. It is also to be examined which KfW (Reconstruction loan corporation) programs can be expanded. Approval procedures for new factories should be accelerated as much as possible.

The recruitment of skilled workers in climate-related professions is to be coordinated with the Federal Ministry of Labour. The Ministry of Economic Affairs also wants to ensure that the EU classifies new green power plants as projects of common European interest (IPCEI) — just like the battery cells. The state could thus promote investments in new production capacities more generously.

Afterword from the translator:

The main thing is that the CO₂ balance is still correct. But I guess it’s like any calculation by socialists: it doesn’t add up in the end. It is then recorded as an error and simply continued. I mean, 1.8 million tons of copper, 95 million tons of cement and 30 million tons of steel will initially cause a hell of a lot of CO₂ emissions and irretrievable habitat loss for centuries. The greatest environmental damage is caused by the over-exploitation of resources for wind and solar power plants, among other things. But that doesn’t interest the Green “environmentalists”. Everything happens outside of Germany. If Germany falls back beyond the Stone Age and we no longer heat and cook (starve and freeze for the sake of the climate) the world will be fine again. The Greens just forget that Germany is not hermetically sealed off from the rest of the world. And without the energy and steel supplies from Russia, the energy transition in Stupidistan will probably be a thing of the past. Mission accomplished.