Germany’s Court of Auditors says it is still in the dark over Energiewende costs

Germany’s Federal Court of Auditors (BRH) has renewed its criticism of the government’s lacking overview of energy transition costs, a court spokesperson told the Clean Energy Wire. Website Spiegel Online originally reported that the court asked the German economy ministry (BMWi) several times to provide a detailed description of expenses arising from the renewables levy, grid fees, staffing in administrations, lost revenue due to tax rebates, and other Energiewende factors. At the end of 2016, the BRH already used an advisory report to state that the government’s controlling and coordination of Energiewende costs is insufficient and omits “fundamental questions”. Spiegel Online writes that the BMWi reported the renewables levy’s costs, which customers pay with their power bill, to the BRH in March. But the court says the ministry still lacks a concept on how the effectivity of support policies can be assessed. The BRH’s spokesperson told the Clean Energy Wire that the parliament’s budget committee will now review the ministry’s report.

Read the article in German here.

Find background in the CLEW dossier The next German government and the energy transition.