In brief | 20 April ‘26

AFP: Thousands protest in Germany urging faster green shift

Thousands of people demonstrated across Germany on Saturday, urging a faster shift to renewable energy and accusing conservative chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition of putting the brakes on the transition.

Reuters: German industry faces stagnation in 2026, BDI says

German industry is expected to stagnate at best in 2026, the BDI industry ​association said, warning that higher ‌energy costs, supply chain risks and domestic structural weaknesses were piling pressure on Europe's largest economy.

Bloomberg: Merz sets crisis talks to tackle energy price impact on Germany

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he plans to convene Germany’s national security council to discuss the global energy crisis, signalling increased concern about its impact on Europe’s biggest economy.

Reuters: EV sales soar in main European markets as drivers shun expensive petrol

Sales of fully electric cars in Europe's main auto markets jumped by almost a third in the first quarter of 2026, as ​drivers looked for alternatives to combustion engines after the war in Iran ‌caused the highest spike in petrol prices in years.

Aurora Energy Research: EEG reform: what’s changing — and why it matters for Germany’s electricity market

Few regulations have shaped the expansion of renewable energy in Germany as profoundly as the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), yet the current subsidy framework is approaching its end.

IEA: Global energy demand growth was met by diverse range of sources in 2025, led by solar and then gas

The world’s energy demand increased more slowly last year against a complex economic and geopolitical backdrop, but electricity use continued to rise strongly, latest International Energy Agency (IEA) analysis shows.