In former times, when members of German political class outlived their usefulness, they could count to switch from office to a well funded job in the energy sector. Power companies handed out cash to political parties and got protection from EU regulation in turn.
this no more.
Renewable energy generation and shutting down nuclear plants cut deeply into profits of the power companies in the last few years. Fear is that they will disrupt the established business model altogether. An unprecedented campaign has erupted since then, with voices from departments of energy & environment, press, industry associations, consumer protection organizations (!). Trying to blame renewables for latest price increases for residential electricity and raising fears of imminent power outages ("so what if it's night and no wind blows?").
It requires effort to gather information across multiple channels and piece together the real picture
- power costs for industrial clients have dropped to a lever lower than ever before
- net stability is in jeopardy by gambling of operators
- price increases for residential customers stem from taxes, grid transfer fees, and a renewable power subsidy scheme which is a disguise for money transfer to the industrial sector (where 75% of all electricity is used).
- renewables are not a source of unforeseeable power fluctuations.
Instead, Germany's most powerful power plant outputs 4.4GW and is fed by 100% renewable energy:
Deutschlands größtes Kraftwerk ist grün
Thanks to our friends from Statkraft, Norway!