“Power has no colour”

Paying extra for “green power” might help consumers' conscience but does little to advance energy transition, Jürgen Flauger writes on Handelsblatt Online. “The Energiewende’s success is determined in energy generation,” Flauger explains. Green power providers usually sourced additional renewable electricity from old hydropower plants instead of new solar or wind power installations, he says. “If one consumer receives their electricity from existing plants, another one will simply get a greater share of coal and nuclear power,” Flauger argues. Renewables growth is funded with a surcharge paid by all consumers and buying from green power providers has no impact on the energy mix, he says.

Read the article in German here.

Read the CLEW factsheet What German households pay for power for more information.