A detailed strategy on new power plants from the German government has been waited on for months – and according to the energy concern EnBW this situation is jeopardising the energy transition.

„It has already been four months since the key points were presented, but the long-announced concretisation has still not materialised,“ said EnBW CFO Thomas Kusterer in an interview with Börsen-Zeitung. „The current signals indicate that things could be tight before the summer break, and that the first tenders are no longer expected this year. That would be very unfortunate. Because firstly, as investors, we urgently need clarification of the investment conditions, and secondly, we absolutely have to move from words to action. Every day of delay will make it more expensive.“

According to Kusterer, the construction of hydrogen-capable power plants, such as those planned by EnBW, is a prerequisite for the early coal phase-out by 2030 set out in the coalition agreement. „Every day counts here too, because things are getting tight now,“ said Kusterer. „The delay is definitely not good news for the coal phase-out.“ This also applies to the early EnBW coal phase-out, which is already scheduled for 2028.

The coal phase-out is seen as a key contribution to achieving climate targets, particularly in terms of reducing CO2 emissions. „If we are unable to phase out coal in time, and miss our climate targets as a result, this would undoubtedly be a painful loss of reputation for Germany,“ said Kusterer. „And also a bad signal for the necessary decarbonisation of the international energy markets.“

EnBW is relying on the „double fuel switch“, first from coal to gas, and then later to hydrogen. „In order to obtain sufficient and affordable hydrogen, we should not only demand green hydrogen at the beginning, but all climate-neutral gases should be permitted,“ Kusterer argues. „Basically, the later the final switch to hydrogen takes place, the more favourable the financing will be because the markets can then develop better.“ A flexible switchover date would help. As an incentive, Kusterer is calling for a mixture of investment cost and operating cost subsidies to close the cost delta between gas and hydrogen.