“German industry cannot complain about power prices” – commentary

Dieter Kempf , the president of Germany’s largest industry federation BDI,  has warned that national climate policies might increase power prices and prompt companies to relocate production abroad, Thorsten Knuf says in a commentary for the Frankfurter Rundschau. But he fails to acknowledge that the situation for many businesses in Germany is not that difficult, Knuf adds. “It has to be noted that German industry cannot complain about high power prices” as  many companies enjoyed industry rebates for surcharges on the power price, which private households had to pay in full, Knuf argues. “Power for industrial companies is cheaper in Germany than, for example, those in France, Great Britain, China or some states in the US,” he says.

See the CLEW factsheets Industrial power prices and the Energiewende and What business thinks of the energy transition and the CLEW dossier Energiewende effects on power prices, costs and industry for background.