Germany’s transition away from nuclear energy, known as the Energiewende, is a comprehensive national strategy to reform its energy system with the ultimate goals of reducing overall energy consumption, substantially increasing renewable energy usage, and eliminating nuclear power to enhance environmental sustainability.

The push to exit nuclear energy dates back decades, influenced strongly by public opposition following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

This opposition sharpened into policy after the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan, which accelerated Germany’s decision to phase out all nuclear power plants.

By the end of 2022, Germany shut down its last nuclear reactors, although some operations were temporarily extended in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and concerns about energy security.

Energiewende aims to raise the share of renewables in German electricity generation to 80% by 2050, shifting focus away from nuclear and fossil fuels toward wind, solar, and other green technologies .

The phase-out of nuclear energy has had substantial impacts on Germany’s energy market.

Nuclear power represented a significant portion of electricity generation, accounting for more than 13% in 2021.

After nuclear's decline, Germany increased renewables, which contributed nearly 46% of electricity production in 2021, driven by wind and solar expansion.

Despite this growth, coal remained dominant for over 51% of electricity generation that year, reflecting that coal and natural gas filled much of the gap left by nuclear plants.

This replacement has led to several challenges.

Germany has faced strain on grid infrastructure and market mechanisms that must accommodate a rapidly changing and decarbonizing mix.

Energy prices have risen, affecting industrial competitiveness and consumer bills, which has sparked public dissatisfaction and economic concerns.

The government has responded by promoting further renewable capacity, energy efficiency, and reforms to improve grid flexibility and storage capabilities.

Germany’s energy imports, particularly fossil fuels, have risen as well, especially natural gas, raising questions about energy security .

The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war has exacerbated these vulnerabilities, especially because Germany has been heavily dependent on Russian natural gas imports to power its economy and compensate for nuclear phase-out.

The war-induced disruption of gas supplies forced Germany to accelerate the construction of its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal by late 2022 and to expand renewable energy deployment more aggressively than planned.

In the short term, the crisis required restarting coal plants temporarily to avoid energy shortages during peak demand, underlining Germany’s reliance on fossil fuels despite long-term decarbonization goals.

This geopolitical shock exposed structural weaknesses in Germany’s energy policy, including slow renewable infrastructure rollout and a heavy fossil fuel dependency.

It also shifted public and business perspectives, with green energy increasingly framed not only as an environmental imperative but as essential for national security and energy independence .

Within Germany, there is notable political and regional pressure to reconsider the nuclear exit.

Bavarian political leaders, for example, have recommended keeping the Isar 2 nuclear power plant operational beyond its scheduled shutdown to mitigate energy security concerns amplified by the war.

Industry representatives and some parts of the public also advocate for potentially reversing the phase-out to stabilize energy supply and prices.

Polls indicate about 60% of the population opposed the nuclear shutdown, primarily due to fears of escalating electricity costs and supply risks.

However, the federal government maintains its commitment to the nuclear phase-out, frequently dismissing revival proposals as politically motivated populism.

It emphasizes focusing investments and policies on expanding renewables, improving grid and storage technologies, and managing demand rather than returning to nuclear energy .

Moreover, Germany’s stance extends to the European level, where it opposes including nuclear power within the EU’s green investment taxonomy, a classification system defining sustainable investments.

Germany argues that nuclear energy is too risky, costly, and unsustainable to qualify as a green technology.

Contrastingly, some other EU countries advocate for nuclear inclusion to meet energy transition goals.

Germany accepts natural gas as a transitional fuel but calls for more stringent regulations on its use.

German policymakers consistently underline their preference to channel public and private funds into renewable energy development and energy efficiency improvements rather than rejuvenating nuclear infrastructure .

In summary, the advantages of Germany’s complete nuclear phase-out center on enhanced safety by eliminating risks associated with nuclear accidents and radioactive waste, alignment with public sentiment skeptical of nuclear power, and strong policy focus on renewable energy innovation and deployment.

This move supports long-term decarbonization and environmental goals while appealing to the societal demand for safer energy.

On the other hand, disadvantages include increased short-to-medium term reliance on coal and natural gas, which contradicts climate objectives and raises emissions.

The energy transition has been challenged by grid integration issues, energy price volatility, and geopolitical vulnerabilities exemplified by the Russian gas crisis.

The absence of nuclear base-load capacity puts pressure on energy security and reliability, necessitating fossil fuel bridges or costly infrastructure investments in renewables and storage.

Germany’s experience reflects the complex trade-offs involved in phasing out nuclear power amid ambitious climate targets.

The transition requires careful balancing of energy security, economic competitiveness, and environmental sustainability.

The ongoing war in Ukraine illustrates the geopolitical risks of heavy fossil fuel dependencies and highlights the urgency of accelerating renewable energy deployment and enhancing grid resilience.

Public and political debates within Germany reveal tensions between pragmatic energy security concerns and long-standing anti-nuclear commitments.

For other nations considering nuclear phase-outs, Germany’s Energiewende demonstrates the critical importance of ensuring diversified energy supplies, investing robustly in renewables and storage, and preparing for potential transitional challenges including price impacts and reliability issues.

Germany’s path suggests that while eliminating nuclear power aligns with safety and environmental aspirations, it complicates the energy transition and imposes significant systemic and geopolitical pressures.

Policymakers must weigh these pros and cons carefully to formulate sustainable and resilient energy strategies for the green transition era .

Germany’s transition away from nuclear energy, known as the Energiewende, is a comprehensive national strategy to reform its energy system with the ultimate goals of reducing overall energy consumption, substantially increasing renewable energy usage, and eliminating nuclear power to enhance environmental sustainability.

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Energy transition
Germany ’ s Energiewende is a national energy system reform strategy aimed at reducing the country ’ s total energy consumption and eventually withdrawing from the use of nuclear energy.
The German “Energiewende ” energy transition has become a new term widely quoted in the English-language media, and Germany plans to increase the share of renewable energy to 80% by 2050.
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The push to exit nuclear energy dates back decades, influenced strongly by public opposition following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

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Content: Germany on Friday shut down three of the six nuclear power plants that were still in operation.
Three closed reactors were first put into operation in the mid-1980s, reports AP News.
Together, they provided electricity to millions of German families for nearly four decades.
One of the stations, Brockdorf, is located 40 kilometers northwest of Hamburg on the Elbe River.
It became the center of anti-nuclear protests sparked by the Chernobyl disaster of 1986.
The other two are Gronde, 40 kilometers south of Hanover, and Gundremmingen, 80 kilometers west of Munich.
The German government said this week that the decommissioning of all nuclear power plants next year and the subsequent abandonment of coal by 2030 will not affect the country ’ s energy security or its goal of making Europe ’ s largest economy “climate neutral ” by 2045.
According to the Fraunhofer Institute, renewable energy provided almost 46% of Germany ’ s electricity generation in 2021.
Coal accounted for more than 51% and nuclear energy for more than 13%.
The decision to phase out nuclear power and switch from fossil fuels to renewables was first made by Gerhard Schröder ’ s center-left government in 2002.
His successor, Angela Merkel, has set 2022 as the deadline for the plant ’ s closure.
Earlier, in December 2019, the Philipsburg nuclear power plant, one of the seven nuclear power plants operating at that time, was shut down in Germany.
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This opposition sharpened into policy after the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan, which accelerated Germany’s decision to phase out all nuclear power plants.

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Content: Chernobyl and the war: how the events in Ukraine prompted Germany to abandon nuclear energy
Greenpeace activist at a protest against nuclear power in Berlin, Germany.
Photo by REUTERS / Nadja Wohlleben
The end of the atomic age.
This weekend, Germany, as promised, shut down its last nuclear power plants.
On Sunday night, the Germans decommissioned three stations: Izar 2 in Bavaria, Necarwesteim-2 in Baden-Württemberg and Emsland in Lower Saxony.
Nuclear power plants, which have recently produced about 5% of the country ’ s electricity, have been shut down as part of the so-called “energy transition. ”
Its goal is to completely switch to green energy by 2035, that is, to produce electricity from renewable sources.
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The decision to finally abandon the peaceful atom was given to the German authorities not easy.
A week ago, in political Berlin, there were calls to postpone the closure of the reactors for at least a few months, so as not to jeopardize the security of energy supply in the country.
Moreover, the temporary continuation of the work of the nuclear power plant of Chancellor Olaf Scholz was requested by both the opposition Christian Democrats and the liberals included in the ruling coalition.
Most Germans did not support the closure of the nuclear power plant.
According to sociologists, about 60% of the country ’ s residents called the government ’ s decision to abandon the peaceful atom wrong.
The reason is obvious: people are afraid of further increases in electricity prices, which have literally exploded.
Farewell to the atom: the Ukrainian factor
In fact, the decision to close all German nuclear power plants was made in 2011 by the government of Angela Merkel after the accident at the Japanese nuclear power plant Fukushima.
But the discussion about the abandonment of nuclear power began much earlier — in 1986, after the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
The accident sparked widespread protests against the use of the peaceful atom, and after Chernobyl, the now ruling Social Democratic Party announced that it would support the closure of all German nuclear power plants and enshrined this position in its political program.
Events in Ukraine also affected the timing of the closure of the nuclear power plant.
Germany planned to shut down all its nuclear power plants by the end of 2022.
However, after a full-scale Russian attack on Ukraine, the operation of the reactors was decided to extend for several more months.
Germany, which took the course of abandoning all Russian energy resources, was afraid of problems with energy supply.
Bavarian exception: will one of the richest lands in Germany be allowed to restart nuclear power plants
In the final rejection of the peaceful atom, it seems, not all German politicians believe.
At least regional.
The prime minister of Bavaria - one of the richest German states - Markus Seder has already said that he will ask the federal government to reconsider its decision.
And this is a few hours after the closing of the last nuclear power plant!
Seder wants the Bavarians to make an exception – allowed them to continue to operate the nuclear power plant “Izar-2 ”, located on the territory of the earth.
Like, now, in times of energy crisis, to abandon nuclear energy is not only risky, but also stupid.
That can be done a little later.
"Bavaria demands that the federal government take responsibility for the continued operation of nuclear power.
Until the crisis is over and the country has switched to renewable energy, we must use all forms of energy before the end of the decade.
Anyone who, like the ruling coalition, hopes that the next winter will be as mild as the previous one, acts extremely naive and careless for an industrial country like Germany, ” said Seder.
And he promised that in the case of a positive decision from Berlin, Bavaria is ready to take responsibility for the operation of the nuclear power plant.
The Bavarian prime minister thought about other lands.
It requires the government to develop and submit a plan for the reactivation of disconnected nuclear power plants.
If necessary, nuclear power plants will be able to resume their work quickly.
Official Berlin has already responded to the calls of the Bavarian Prime Minister – the Minister for Environmental Protection advised Zeder not to engage in political populism.
Non-peaceful atom: Germany wants sanctions against Russian nuclear energy
On the day of the closure of their own nuclear power plants, the Germans also mentioned the nuclear energy of the aggressor country of Russia.
Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Economy of Germany Robert Gabeck proposed to impose sanctions against the nuclear industry of the Russian Federation.
At the EU level.
For example, to include penalties in the next, already eleventh, sanctions package, the development and coordination of which the Europeans will begin in the near future.
“We have seen that Russia purposefully uses dependence in the energy sector for pressure.
Therefore, the federal government called on the European Commission to impose sanctions on the civilian nuclear sector.
Nuclear technology is an extremely sensitive area, and Russia can no longer be perceived as a reliable partner here, ” Gabek said.
What sanctions are we talking about – the politician did not specify.
However, in early April, after a visit to Ukraine, he proposed to impose sanctions against states that buy uranium from Russia for their nuclear power plants.
Not immediately, but after the transition.
“It is important to start and not be afraid of decisive actions in this area, ” Gabek explained.
The EU ’ s dependence on Russia ’ s nuclear sector is really serious.
About 20% of the uranium for their nuclear power plants EU countries receive from Russia.
Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic are completely dependent on these supplies, that is, 100%.
On the sale of uranium in the European Union, Russia earns 450 million euros a year.
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By the end of 2022, Germany shut down its last nuclear reactors, although some operations were temporarily extended in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and concerns about energy security.

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Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
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Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
I'm sorry.
Mohamad Elbaz
EXPRESS: Germany ’ s exit from atomic energy sector affects Europe ’ s largest economy
Germany ’ s closure of the country ’ s last three nuclear reactors and its eventual exit from the atomic energy sector raises concerns about the impact of the decision on the European Union ’ s largest economy.
Germany ’ s action could deal a blow to the technology they see as a clean and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.
Berlin is implementing its plan to limit electricity generation to renewable sources by 2035.
Earlier this week, Germany shut down its last three nuclear power plants as part of Berlin's plan to limit power generation to renewables by 2035, ending a six-decade programme that has sparked one of Europe's most powerful protest movements.
Other industrialized countries, such as the United States, Japan, China, France and Britain, rely on nuclear power to replace the fossil fuels that are warming the planet, and Germany ’ s decision to stop using both has been met with some skepticism, as well as unsuccessful last-minute calls to halt the shutdown, the report said.
Nuclear energy advocates around the world have criticized the German shutdown, realizing that the action taken by Europe ’ s largest economy could deal a blow to technology they see as a clean and reliable alternative to fossil fuels.
The German government has acknowledged that in the short term, the country will have to rely more on polluting coal and natural gas to meet its energy needs, even as steps are taken to dramatically increase electricity production from solar and wind power, and Germany aims to be carbon neutral by 2045.
But officials like German Environment Minister Stevie Lemke say the idea of a nuclear renaissance is a myth, citing data showing that the share of atomic energy in global electricity production is shrinking.
The construction of new nuclear plants in Europe has faced significant delays and cost overruns.
Limki noted that the construction of new nuclear plants in Europe has faced significant delays and cost overruns, and said the money spent on maintaining old reactors or building new ones would be better spent on installing cheap renewables.
Experts such as Claudia Kemfert of the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin say the 5% share of German electricity currently coming from its three remaining reactors can be easily replaced without risking power outages.

Energiewende aims to raise the share of renewables in German electricity generation to 80% by 2050, shifting focus away from nuclear and fossil fuels toward wind, solar, and other green technologies .

The phase-out of nuclear energy has had substantial impacts on Germany’s energy market.

Nuclear power represented a significant portion of electricity generation, accounting for more than 13% in 2021.

After nuclear's decline, Germany increased renewables, which contributed nearly 46% of electricity production in 2021, driven by wind and solar expansion.

Despite this growth, coal remained dominant for over 51% of electricity generation that year, reflecting that coal and natural gas filled much of the gap left by nuclear plants.

This replacement has led to several challenges.

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Content: Alert
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How did the German model achieve an unbearable energy transition war across the sea?
【 By Fu Guanqi 】
Environmental awareness, green energy production has always been regarded as the world's superior Germany, but because of a Ukrainian-Russian war, let the bright achievements behind the unfinished business, exposed to the world.
Is this general review of energy security, ignited by war, a crisis or a turning point for Germany, which rose from the ashes of World War II? Can Germany break through the status quo and turn into a new model for a sustainable economy in the future?
Or is it a death on the road to transformation? How can Taiwan find its future direction from this “energy transition war ”?
Just after Christmas, for many Dodd families, the most wanted Christmas gift may be a heat pump to make the whole family better through the winter.
Unlike the tens of millions of domestic heating systems in Germany that still use natural gas or oil as fuel, heat pumps are powered by electricity, which can be seen as "reverse air conditioning", which has a higher thermal conversion efficiency and symbolizes energy access at a lower price.
The energy crisis caused by the Russo-Ukrainian War has become a watershed in the price of energy in Germany.
The past dependence on Russia to import a large amount of cheap energy can not be returned, and the international carbon pricing mechanism is increasingly complete, which has led Germany to realize that only green energy is the way to reduce energy prices again.
The "Vision" team traveled to Germany, in-depth interviews and observed that the consensus that permeates German society today is: "There is not much time for the energy transition, and we must accelerate progress."
German Green Party MP Till Steffen, who visited Taiwan in 2022, told Visionary that "this' energy crisis' has accelerated the 'energy transition' and become a priority for the government."
German Economy Accelerates Greening, Renewable Energy Becomes National Security Foundation
This is not just a matter of paper. At the end of 2022, Germany inaugurated the country ’ s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal.
Germany decided last spring to build it, and it could be completed in a few months. “This is super fast for Germany, ” Steffen said.“ We need to scale up renewable energy at the same rate. ”
If you make decisions at the slow pace of your past habits, you won ’ t be able to achieve the goals you set. ”
In the past, far less ambitious than the Green Party ’ s liberal finance minister, Christian Lindner, has also designated renewable energy as “free energy ”, emphasizing its function to enhance Germany ’ s energy security and economic independence.
In this context, the two pillars of the energy transition, "switching to renewable energy" and "improving energy efficiency", have also become the top priorities of enterprises in the country.
Even the German machine tool manufacturer MAG, a pioneer of Industry 4.0, has re-examined energy conservation and is preparing to install solar panels on its plant.
“Many investment plans are being reevaluated because of higher energy prices, ” explains Sebastian Schoning, MAG ’ s head of Europe & Americas.“ Many investments that were previously unprofitable are now justified. ”
Solar panels that can be used for their own use and can be sold for electricity have been greatly shortened, and with tax incentives, large and small businesses and families have been selling out; installation technicians are so hot that waiting in line has become a new normal in the last few months.
Yen Chien-ho, general manager of the German branch of FSP, which has been operating solar energy storage business for more than six years from Taiwan, revealed that the green energy product line is already the main revenue of the company, and it is estimated that by 2023, solar related products can grow by 50%.
Quanhan also saw the business opportunities of green energy vehicles in Europe and decided to set up a new R & D center in Germany to attack customized charging devices.
Another Taiwanese company that has been working in Germany for ten years, Servo Press Co., Ltd. is also favored by European customers due to the fact that the product consumes about 50% less power than traditional presses, and is expected to double its business performance in 2023.
Germany has been driving the energy transition for decades. The driving force of this energy crisis is mainly reflected in the change of mentality and the re-calculation of business interests.
First, in terms of mentality, Germany used to import about 60% of its energy, and is more heavily dependent on cheap fossil fuels from Russia.
However, when energy is no longer so readily available, it has also greatly changed the German society's view of energy: in the past, everyone saw renewable energy as a threat to the stability of electricity supply, and now it is an important basis for protecting national security.
Second, in the eyes of enterprises, green energy has become the only energy source that can maintain long-term competitiveness.
"We all know that there is no future for fossil fuels," said Markus Rosenthal, director of government relations at the German Association for Energy Storage Systems. He cited the withdrawal of Allianz, Germany 's largest insurance company, and the active investment of major banks in decarbonization technology as examples. The effect of greening the German economy is greater than anyone else. "
Many may have heard of Germany ’ s Energiewende vision after the Fukushima disaster.
But such a concept has taken root in Germany ’ s anti-nuclear movement since the 1970s.
Since then, the Green Party movement has developed with the greatest political influence in the world.
GREEN ENERGY GREEN ENERGY CHALLENGE 1: Lack of work, insufficient capacity of Northern Power South
The Renewable Energy Act (EEG), which came into force in 2000, made Germany the first major economy to promote renewable energy.
Over the next 20 years, the proportion of renewable energy supply has grown significantly from 6% to 46%, and this remarkable achievement has become an international model case for promoting energy transformation.
However, the model of the period of peace seems to be unable to withstand the test of war, and Germany still fell into the dilemma of energy crisis in the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Russia ’ s invasion of Ukraine and the weaponization of energy are certainly uncontrollable factors.
But the German society's caution against nuclear energy has also made Germany more dependent on relatively clean natural gas during the period of phasing out coal.
“We are over-reliant on fossil fuels and the development of renewable energy over the past few years has been too slow, ” said Malte Kuper, energy and climate policy researcher at the German Institute for Economic Research (IW).“ We must accelerate the correction of the structural errors of energy policy over the past decade. ”
Wilhelm Kiewitt, Director of Energy Economics at 50Hertz, a German power grid company, said: “We are vigorously promoting the construction of renewable energy, but we have not updated the grid infrastructure and have not ensured that the design of the electricity market is compatible.
As a result, the energy transition is not doing well. ”
Wind power located on the northern coast of Germany has so far been difficult to reach the industrial heartland of the south because the government has spent too much time coordinating with the residents of the south to accept high-voltage cables cutting through their beautiful landscapes.
The lack of capacity of Northern Power South has become a key missing piece in the German energy puzzle.
In addition, the political lobbying power of fossil fuel companies and strict regulations on onshore wind power have also slowed down the pace of transformation in Germany.
A few months ago, there was a demolition of nearby windmills to expand coal mines in North Wales. Although the efficiency of these windmills was low and they were expected to be rebuilt and upgraded, environmentalists criticized this as a retrograde policy in the midst of the energy crisis.
But the lack of urgency may be the key factor in Germany ’ s gradual deviation from its goal.
According to the German government ’ s 2021 forecast, all sectors, from energy, industry and agriculture, will not be able to meet the 2030 climate goals on the basis of current carbon reduction actions.
In terms of new technology, even if Germany began hydrogen energy research more than 30 years ago, it has not been able to enter the expansion.
Thomas Hilig, founder of THEnergy in Germany and a hydrogen energy consultant, pointed out that “we have studied hydrogen energy thoroughly and want to know everything. ”
But it may be possible to start expanding sooner.
Indeed, now is the time to launch the app. ”
The impact of high energy prices and increasingly extreme weather have become a reality in Germany, forcing the country, accustomed to sound and prudent action, to admit its mistakes and shortcomings and accelerate the progress of the energy transition.
The question is, is it in time?
Opening a recent German newspaper will find that a crisis is not necessarily a turning point.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for 99% of the total number of German enterprises, are struggling, and many companies may not be able to survive.
A survey of companies released by the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) in the summer of 2022 shows that due to high energy prices, 1 / 4 of enterprises have completed the deployment of production reduction, 1 / 4 have reduced the scale of operations, and the remaining half have not yet begun to act, and are still thinking about the corresponding steps.
At present, the German government has finalized a nearly 100 billion euro energy bill subsidy plan, but Asha Maria Sharma, deputy director of digital services at the Foreign Trade and Investment Agency, believes that financial subsidies are only part of the solution, companies must think about how to use AI, data analysis and other technologies to save energy, in order to remain competitive in the future when energy prices are higher.
However, the resources and financial power of SMEs are not as good as those of multinational enterprises, and it is not easy to face inflation, interest rate hikes, the impact on the dollar exchange rate and energy prices, and to devote more efforts to long-term investment layout.
For example, when the Covid-19 pandemic spread, Alexander Krug, the public relations manager in charge of the Berlin Digital Center for SMEs, observed that about a third of SMEs were suspending or even cancelling strategic digital investments that would bear fruit in the medium to long term.
Moreover, in the global semiconductor shortage, many small and medium-sized enterprises are competing for similar chips with the government-supported renewable energy industry, as well as Germany ’ s powerful automotive industry.
In terms of money and resources, it is difficult to win.
Cooper said that in the long term, the energy crisis can be an accelerator of the energy transition.
But for an industrial powerhouse like Germany, which has a high proportion of energy-intensive industries, there is also a risk that “industry may decline before the green energy transition is complete. ”
Many homes waiting for solar panel technicians to install their doors also reveal another risk: lack of work.
“If you ask a business, what ’ s the biggest question about operations? Almost every time the answer is, ‘ We need people. ’ ”
Especially in the areas of green energy and digital technology, which are crucial to driving transformation, there is a particular lack of technical talent.
Many countries in Europe have a shortage of jobs.
However, in the manufacturing sector, more than 40% of enterprises in Germany are understaffed.
In comparison, France is less than 25%, and Italy and Spain are less than 10%.
Even the director of the German public broadcaster said recently: "We have to recruit people from all over the world... even the German level of the candidates is not so important."
As long as I work hard, I don ’ t worry too much that they can only speak a few words of German. ”
GREEN ENERGY GREEN ENERGY CHALLENGE 2: Higher energy costs, the United States proposed a bill to reduce inflation and siphon off international investment
The evolution of the international situation has also made the adverse situation worse.
The European war is still raging, the epidemic is still hazy, and the tensions between the United States and China have caused Germany, formerly the beneficiary of free trade and international supply chains, to reverse the situation and increase the pressure.
In particular, in August 2022, the United States passed the $369 billion Inflation Reduction Act, proposing a simpler and more attractive subsidy specification than the European Union, which is likely to siphon off more international investment at a time when Germany urgently needs to accelerate the expansion of renewable energy.
Some scholars wonder whether Germany will be able to complete the energy transition that it failed to achieve during a period of relative stability in the face of many challenges.
Only recently did Germany significantly expand public spending to help society weather the epidemic. To date, it has allocated more than 260 billion euros in response to the energy crisis.
This is almost 7% of national GDP, well above the EU average of 83 billion euros.
Meanwhile, Germany is still trying to boost its defense budget to 2% of GDP.
Even if the money is relatively abundant, it is also pressure.
Reinhard Biedermann, a professor in the Department of Global Political Economy at Tamkang University, pointed out that to develop enough renewable energy to replace traditional energy sources requires a lot of investment, manpower and even land, which Germany cannot do at the same time.
“The energy crisis is really an opportunity to expand renewable energy.
But turning the crisis into a turning point is not so simple.
Germany depends not only on imports of fossil fuels, but also on imports of renewable energy.
After the decline of the German solar industry, about 95% of the domestic solar cells are manufactured in China.
Nordex shut down Germany ’ s last wind turbine turnstile plant in June 2022, taking into account costs, causing observers to worry that the wind energy industry may be heading toward a fate similar to that of the solar industry.
Steffen said that due to competition from China, the German solar industry has lost a lot of intellectual and political power, and now is the time to reinvigorate the domestic solar value chain.
“We still have capacity in wind energy, but we can ’ t find a market in our country because Chinese products are cheaper, ” Steffen said.
In some ways, the energy crisis is just beginning.
As the Visionary team rode a high-speed rail at a speed of nearly 300 kilometers across the edge of Germany ’ s beloved forest, they were greeted by rotating fans, solar panels laid on the roof of the building, and high-voltage power towers that transmit electricity over a long distance.
This has gradually become a familiar daily scene in German society.
At this point, it may be seen as an important milestone in the final completion of Germany ’ s energy transition, but it may also be the starting point for the decline of German industry.
Looking back at the challenges of the pandemic, companies in Dodd all agree that agility, flexibility and flexibility are essential skills to survive in the current changing environment.
In particular, German industry contributes more than a quarter of the country ’ s GDP, which is higher than developed countries such as France, the United Kingdom and the United States.
But strengthening the high-priced “Made in Germany ” brand with performance, quality and stability is threatened by higher energy costs.
Steffen acknowledged that many Dodd companies use cheap Russian energy to produce and then sell their products at high prices to the U.S. and mid-market.
This is similar to the common pattern in Taiwan.
Taiwan 's green energy students > risk assessment first, transformation needs to think about the overall order
Sucheta Govil, chief commercial officer of Covestro, observed that energy is already a global issue and resource constraints are becoming the foreseeable future. “Even if you are in Asia, energy prices are still cheap, but price increases are reflected in the supply chain. ”
This advantage is diluted by rising raw material costs, even if Germany considers itself to be of excellent mechanical engineering quality. ”
Even if Germany has only recently begun to cope with the energy crisis, the effectiveness of the policy measures will have to wait for time to prove, and there are still lessons for Taiwan.
First, understand your energy security and independence and conduct a risk assessment.
Leonard believes that encouraging energy conservation by raising energy prices and using this income to invest more in renewable energy is worth considering.
“Explaining to people the higher energy costs they pay will help develop renewable energy and improve energy security. ”
Second, think about the sequence of measures for the energy transition as a whole, and put limited resources in the right place at the right time.
Hans-Joachim Ziesing, a former energy transition consultant for Germany ’ s Future Energy Plan, shared that one of Germany ’ s mistakes was to set a good goal and vision before developing policies to be achieved.
A better approach might be to take a practical approach, clarify the quantitative benefits that each policy can bring, and determine that cross-party consensus can be reached to move forward together.
It is also important to continuously monitor the performance of data and to be accountable to all departments.
Hiliger observed that Germany ’ s national hydrogen energy strategy in 2020 shows that officials have learned from the siting of renewable energy and energy transportation.
“Many projects take production and consumption into account as a whole, for example, by making good use of existing construction, refurbishing natural gas pipelines to become hydrogen pipelines, rather than placing electrolytic tanks next to wind power plants. ”
Preparing businesses and citizens to move away from fossil fuels
Finally, it is the continuation of the momentum of social change.
In the past, Germany saw natural gas as a “bridging energy ” to connect fossil fuels with renewable energy; now, losing its main source of natural gas imports, it has had to restart coal plants and lease liquid-gas receiving stations.
After doing so, it may be harder to get rid of them in the future.
Ideally, when the hydrogen energy market matures, Germany can renovate this batch of liquid natural gas receiving stations into hydrogen energy receiving stations.
But the two are different energy sources after all, and the renovation will be another expense.
Whether it can be developed according to the plan is still uncertain.
After the government finalizes the energy subsidy policy, from the beginning of 2023 to April 2024, 80% of the bill will be protected by the price cap, and users will only pay 20% of the current price.
This will change people ’ s interest.
How to make good use of the incentive mechanism to encourage society to continue to promote energy conservation and transformation at the household, business and infrastructure levels is also a big test.
Although Taiwan, which has a higher industrial share than Germany, has yet to personally feel the waves of the European energy crisis, it will be crucial to be as prepared and adapted as possible to the future of higher fossil fuel prices before the price protection umbrella for long-term contracts ends.
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Germany has faced strain on grid infrastructure and market mechanisms that must accommodate a rapidly changing and decarbonizing mix.

Energy prices have risen, affecting industrial competitiveness and consumer bills, which has sparked public dissatisfaction and economic concerns.

The government has responded by promoting further renewable capacity, energy efficiency, and reforms to improve grid flexibility and storage capabilities.

Germany’s energy imports, particularly fossil fuels, have risen as well, especially natural gas, raising questions about energy security .

The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war has exacerbated these vulnerabilities, especially because Germany has been heavily dependent on Russian natural gas imports to power its economy and compensate for nuclear phase-out.

The war-induced disruption of gas supplies forced Germany to accelerate the construction of its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal by late 2022 and to expand renewable energy deployment more aggressively than planned.

In the short term, the crisis required restarting coal plants temporarily to avoid energy shortages during peak demand, underlining Germany’s reliance on fossil fuels despite long-term decarbonization goals.

This geopolitical shock exposed structural weaknesses in Germany’s energy policy, including slow renewable infrastructure rollout and a heavy fossil fuel dependency.

It also shifted public and business perspectives, with green energy increasingly framed not only as an environmental imperative but as essential for national security and energy independence .

Within Germany, there is notable political and regional pressure to reconsider the nuclear exit.

Bavarian political leaders, for example, have recommended keeping the Isar 2 nuclear power plant operational beyond its scheduled shutdown to mitigate energy security concerns amplified by the war.

Industry representatives and some parts of the public also advocate for potentially reversing the phase-out to stabilize energy supply and prices.

Title:

Content: Despite his opponents...
Europe 'chooses' nuclear power to pass harsh winter
Europeans suffering from a severe energy crisis will set a date with a historic test this winter, with the first attack of the cold, in a way that cannot be trusted.
The old continent has experienced an unusual warmth in recent weeks, which slightly eased the pressure on its decision-makers, but it soon found itself faced with the consequences of a drought crisis like no other in Europe in 500 years.
The European Commission said in its latest report that it was the worst drought in five centuries, warning of the risks and major environmental losses caused by it.
The most prominent of these losses affected the production of nuclear energy, the strength of electricity in Europe today, and the alternative solution sought by some countries in light of the energy crisis with Russia.
Although European nuclear power has been the biggest sponsor of the rupture in German-French relations, it is now seen as a solution to the electricity crisis.
New countries are also seeking accreditation, such as Poland, which two days ago opted for a US offer to build its first nuclear power plant.
At the same time, the countries that possess this energy are seeking to increase and strengthen their reactors, undeterred by the opposition of peoples and voices calling for renewable energy.
Germany and the return to nuclear
In Germany, work has begun on two nuclear reactors that were due to be shut down by the end of this year, in line with the country ’ s plan to graduate from nuclear power.
The project will cost around 100 million euros and will be operational after December.
This comes at a time when the nuclear power plant "Isar 2" plans to carry out maintenance at a cost of about 50 million euros, and the preparatory work at the nuclear plant "Neckaroisthaim-2" will cost a similar amount.
The shutdown of nuclear power plants was one of the most prominent demands of the German people in recent demonstrations in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hannover, Stuttgart, Dresden and Frankfurt, especially supporters of the Green Party and supporters of the transition to green energy.
Kenzbendit, 29, said: “We Greens have been fighting nuclear power in Germany for decades, in the streets and now in the government.
Kensbendit told Erm News: "We do not know how the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Environment was deceived and delayed for months in order to prevent the extension of German nuclear power plants."
The young man who participated in the recent demonstrations added that "energy policy is not really for politicians, because they think and work to implement their political agendas, but energy policy is always long-term, and granting the tasks of the Environmental Self-Awareness Squad to the Ministry of Economy is illogical.
"The extension of the work at the nuclear power plant is incredible, disregarding and insulting the demands of the people, and will make Germany" ridiculous "all over the world," he said.
Paris turns its back on the environment
France is the world ’ s largest producer of nuclear energy, generating 70 percent of its electricity from 56 nuclear reactors and exporting to neighboring countries.
Nuclear reactors in France have suffered and half of them have been shut down due to malfunctions or drought, causing electrical output to fall to its lowest level in 30 years, and exports to fall by almost half, according to the latest government reports.
This led the French administration to increase the power of nuclear reactors and change the plan to gradually abandon nuclear reactors in favor of renewable sources such as the sun and wind.
The French move, analysts predict, will meet public anger and opposition from countries around the world seeking to combat climate change and calling for nuclear power to be replaced by other sources, in addition to the heavy financial burden on the French government.
It is well known that nuclear power is not practical in the economic sense, otherwise France would not need to nationalize EDF to be able to operate the reactors with government support.
Drought disrupts nuclear power
The drought crisis will significantly limit this planned expansion, according to data from nuclear reactor operators, because nuclear plants use large amounts of fresh water from rivers and lakes for cooling, and reduced river flows as a result of drought will reduce electricity generation at nuclear power plants.
According to French energy advisor Bernard Labonch, nuclear power is not only about the best way to generate electricity, but it is a historical legacy in France that is inextricably linked to nationalism, and it is taboo for any French citizen to advocate against nuclear power.
"If you want to get a job as an engineer or researcher in France you have to be a proponent of nuclear energy, so there are very few who openly criticize it," he said.
Thus, all indications are that nuclear energy will remain in France for decades to come, despite widespread public opposition and environmental warnings about the dangers posed by the water that nuclear power plants dump into rivers after they have used it for cooling, and the dangers it poses to ecosystems, fish and aquatic plants.
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Polls indicate about 60% of the population opposed the nuclear shutdown, primarily due to fears of escalating electricity costs and supply risks.

However, the federal government maintains its commitment to the nuclear phase-out, frequently dismissing revival proposals as politically motivated populism.

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Content: EU chaos! Macron and Scholz in furious bust-up over EU energy plans: ‘Risky and expensive'

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are locked in a furious bust-up over EU energy policy plans as disagreements have sparked division in the bloc.

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Macron wields 'tools to set EU agenda'

While France has been pushing for nuclear to be included in the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy, Germany is in the process of completely phasing out the energy source in the country. The EU’s taxonomy is intended to hand a green badge to companies and activities — or to withhold it — to “help shift investments where they are most needed". This is part of the bloc’s aim to direct funding towards energy sources with a low or zero carbon footprint.

But this has sparked fury as Germany does not view nuclear power as a form of clean energy.

Mr Macron wants gas and nuclear to be labelled as a “transitional” source under the taxonomy as he claims they are needed for the clean energy transition.

He says that this is because renewables are “intermittent, and thus not totally substitutable, even with our interconnections [in Europe], for non-intermittent sources of electricity production” like gas or nuclear power.

And these calls do not come as much of a surprise, given that 70 percent of French electricity is generated by nuclear power.

Mr Macron has pointed to the verdict from experts on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to back up his calls.

Macron and Scholz are in a furious energy bust-up (Image: Getty )

Emmanuel Macron is pushing for nuclear power to be included in the EU taxonomy (Image: Getty )

They claim that “nuclear power is one of the solutions to decarbonise our economies”.

And this seems to have convinced Brussels, as the EU Commission drew up a draft proposal, circulated on 31 December, for this to come into effect.

Subject to a consultation period until Friday (21 January), It gave EU members and others just three weeks to analyse the proposal and provide their own comments.

Germany is strongly opposed to the nuclear plans and has been phasing out nuclear power for over two decades.

It also plans to shut down its three remaining plants at the end of the year.

READ MORE: World holds breath as Ukraine to fire rocket amid Russia tension

Olaf Scholz's Government is opposed to the EU's proposal (Image: Getty )

But it is not Berlin who disapproves of the proposal.

The EU Platform on Sustainable Finance, a European Commission advisory body, has torn the proposal apart.

In an opinion piece, it argued that nuclear power is not an entirely clean energy source, and that fossil gas is “far from green”.

Under the EU’s draft proposal, gas-fired power plants would get a “transitional” investment label if they meet a certain criteria.

That is if they use “at least 30 percent of renewable or low-carbon gases as of 1 January 2026, and at least 55 percent of renewable or low-carbon gases as of 1 January 2030”.

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Germany argued nuclear is not a clean energy source (Image: Getty )

And as of January 1, 2036, the Commission said all gas-fired power plants would have to “switch to renewable or low-carbon gases” to qualify for the EU’s green investment label.

But under EU rules, no technology can be considered green if it causes “significant harm” to any of the taxonomy’s six environmental objectives.

Those are climate change mitigation and adaptation, water protection, the transition to a circular economy, pollution prevention, and biodiversity protection.

Germany has been kicking up a fuss over the proposals, calling them “risky and expensive” in a letter sent to Brussels.

Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said in a joint statement with Environment Minister Steffi Lemke: “As the federal government, we have once again clearly expressed our rejection of the inclusion of nuclear energy. It is risky and expensive."

Germany has also claimed that there is a lack of safety requirements in the nuclear field.

Robert Habeck sent a letter to Brussels slamming the proposal (Image: Getty )

And it argued that the lengthy construction of new reactors "does not offer a short-term opportunity" to phase out carbon-intensive energy sources such as coal.

But while it has poured cold water over nuclear plans, Germany does not seem so opposed to the inclusion of gas.

In the letter sent to Brussels, it reads that gas used in "ultra-modern and efficient gas-fired power plants forms a bridge for a limited transitional period".

But the German Government did mention that the proposed fuel switch targets to low-carbon and renewable gases laid out by the taxonomy proposal are not realistic.

And Mr Macron is travelling to Berlin today to meet with Mr Scholz.

While the leaders’ meeting will focus on the Russia’s mounting pressure on Ukraine, the energy plans will no doubt be a topic of conversation too.

It emphasizes focusing investments and policies on expanding renewables, improving grid and storage technologies, and managing demand rather than returning to nuclear energy .

Moreover, Germany’s stance extends to the European level, where it opposes including nuclear power within the EU’s green investment taxonomy, a classification system defining sustainable investments.

Title:

Content: Germany / EU / Energy
Germany opposes EU's inclusion of nuclear, natural gas in "green" energy plan
Germany on Sunday announced its opposition to the inclusion of energy from nuclear and natural gas in the EU ’ s “green ” investment program, which the European Commission is expected to introduce this month to decide whether to include natural and nuclear energy in the EU ’ s“ sustainable investment program. ”
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Reuters reports that Germany is withdrawing from nuclear power. On December 31, 2021, the German government closed three of the remaining six nuclear power plants, but the entire withdrawal process will take 20 years, and the cost of exiting each nuclear power station is about 1.1 billion euros.
"For the German government, natural gas is an important alternative energy source in the process of phasing out coal burning," a German government spokesman said. "The German government's position on nuclear energy remains unchanged, that nuclear energy cannot be considered a sustainable energy source."
While EU member states are still divided on whether nuclear and natural gas are “green energy ”, Reuters reported that the EU has plans to include some nuclear and natural gas in its“ green investment projects ” program.
The European Commission is expected to propose rules this month to decide whether to include natural gas and nuclear energy programmes in the EU ’ s Sustainable Investment Programme.
According to the draft proposal seen by Reuters, investments in nuclear power plants can be marked as “green ” if they have plans, funds and sites for the safe disposal of radioactive waste and have a construction permit by 2045.
Investments in natural gas power plants must meet the conditions of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions below 270 grams per kilowatt-hour (kWh), replace more polluting fossil fuel power plants, obtain construction permits by December 31, 2030, and plan to switch to low-carbon gases by the end of 2035.
EU countries and a panel of experts will carefully review the draft, which is due to be officially released later in January, after which changes may also be made.
Once published, the draft could still be rejected by a majority of EU member states or the European Parliament.
For more than a year, European countries have been divided over which fuels actually meet sustainability standards.
Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and other countries have expressed opposition to nuclear energy, while the Czech Republic, Finland, and France, which generates 70% of its electricity from nuclear energy, argue that nuclear energy is an indispensable alternative in the process of phasing out coal.

Germany argues that nuclear energy is too risky, costly, and unsustainable to qualify as a green technology.

Contrastingly, some other EU countries advocate for nuclear inclusion to meet energy transition goals.

Germany accepts natural gas as a transitional fuel but calls for more stringent regulations on its use.

German policymakers consistently underline their preference to channel public and private funds into renewable energy development and energy efficiency improvements rather than rejuvenating nuclear infrastructure .

In summary, the advantages of Germany’s complete nuclear phase-out center on enhanced safety by eliminating risks associated with nuclear accidents and radioactive waste, alignment with public sentiment skeptical of nuclear power, and strong policy focus on renewable energy innovation and deployment.

This move supports long-term decarbonization and environmental goals while appealing to the societal demand for safer energy.

On the other hand, disadvantages include increased short-to-medium term reliance on coal and natural gas, which contradicts climate objectives and raises emissions.

The energy transition has been challenged by grid integration issues, energy price volatility, and geopolitical vulnerabilities exemplified by the Russian gas crisis.

The absence of nuclear base-load capacity puts pressure on energy security and reliability, necessitating fossil fuel bridges or costly infrastructure investments in renewables and storage.

Germany’s experience reflects the complex trade-offs involved in phasing out nuclear power amid ambitious climate targets.

The transition requires careful balancing of energy security, economic competitiveness, and environmental sustainability.

The ongoing war in Ukraine illustrates the geopolitical risks of heavy fossil fuel dependencies and highlights the urgency of accelerating renewable energy deployment and enhancing grid resilience.

Public and political debates within Germany reveal tensions between pragmatic energy security concerns and long-standing anti-nuclear commitments.

For other nations considering nuclear phase-outs, Germany’s Energiewende demonstrates the critical importance of ensuring diversified energy supplies, investing robustly in renewables and storage, and preparing for potential transitional challenges including price impacts and reliability issues.

Germany’s path suggests that while eliminating nuclear power aligns with safety and environmental aspirations, it complicates the energy transition and imposes significant systemic and geopolitical pressures.

Policymakers must weigh these pros and cons carefully to formulate sustainable and resilient energy strategies for the green transition era .