National climate protection contribution

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The National Climate contribution , often only briefly air post or colloquially coal levy called, was one in 2015 by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) under the leadership of Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) planned additional levy on CO 2 - emissions from power plants in Germany , the starting Should be due in 2017. In principle, the contribution should apply to all power plants, but it was designed in such a way that , in effect , older coal-fired power plants , especially lignite- fired power plants , would have been affected.

The proposal for the national climate protection contribution was withdrawn in July 2015 after weeks of controversial discussion, mainly due to resistance from trade unions, utilities and economic politicians. Instead, a total of eight coal-fired power stations will be temporarily relocated to a standby facility for four years and then finally shut down, for which the power station operators will receive remuneration of 1.6 billion euros.

Goals of the concept

The introduction of the national climate protection contribution had several goals:

The primary goal was to reduce CO 2 emissions in Germany in order to achieve the federal government's climate protection targets for 2020.

A desired side effect was the improvement of the profitability of gas-fired power plants in order to avert the impending shutdown of these flexible plants. The climate protection contribution, in combination with the strategic capacity reserve and other measures for the electricity market, should also help to maintain the necessary reserve capacity in the grid and thus the security of supply in Germany, so that no so-called capacity market would be required.

history

The background to the demand for the climate contribution was, on the one hand, the realization, matured in 2014, that Germany would probably not achieve the CO 2 savings targets announced by the federal government for 2020 without additional efforts and, on the other hand, the admission that the would actually be the central instrument for the The EU emissions certificate trading scheme (ETS), which was intended to reduce CO 2 emissions , has been shown to be largely ineffective, but urgently needed reforms would not take effect there by 2020. So the BMWi came up with the plan to create an additional instrument at national level for the transition period up to the reform of the ETS, similar to what other EU states had already done.

From the end of 2014, the concept was developed in detail by the BMWi under the leadership of State Secretary Rainer Baake (Greens), with the Ministry being advised by the Öko-Institut and Prognos and supported with simulation calculations on the likely effects on the electricity market.

In mid-March 2014, the BMWi presented the climate contribution to the public for the first time in a key issues paper as one of several planned measures to reshape the German electricity market.

The reactions were controversial (see below): While the majority of the supporters of renewable energies, environmental politicians and environmental organizations welcomed the plans and in some cases even called for even more radical measures, some fierce criticism came from the coal-fired power plant operators, industry and trade unions, as well as from the political wing the SPD and CDU / CSU at the federal level and in the federal states concerned.

In order to address the critical questions, the BMWi published additional background information on the effectiveness of the climate contribution in the days and weeks after the plans were announced. Minister of State Baake described the critics' fears as unfounded in an interview. Minister Gabriel commented on the questions in a current hour in the Bundestag on March 26, 2015 . On March 27, 2015, Gabriel met with the energy and economic ministers of the countries concerned. Gabriel basically insisted on the necessity of the climate contribution, but offered as a compromise to link the amount of the contribution to the wholesale prices for electricity in order not to burden the power plant operators more than necessary. On April 13, the BMWi provided a written answer to questions from the CDU / CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag on the concept.

The controversy over the climate contribution reached its climax on April 25, 2015, when supporters and opponents of the climate contribution held demonstrations at the same time: At the Garzweiler opencast mine , 6,000 demonstrators of the anti-coal power movement formed a human chain and demanded a coal phase-out . At the same time, a rally organized by the trade unions took place in Berlin, attended by 15,000 employees of the lignite industry, company representatives and state and local politicians.

On May 19, 2015, Chancellor Angela Merkel described the climate levy as “a way” to achieve the CO 2 savings target, thus already indicating that other solutions could also be considered.

In mid-June 2015, various media reported that the climate tax was "off the table". In return, the coal-fired power plant operators offered in negotiations to take coal-fired power plant blocks off the grid in return for payment of compensation. On June 24, 2015, the BMWi denied such an agreement and only confirmed ongoing discussions on the subject.

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functionality

The plan stipulated that each power plant unit would have to pay an additional levy for excess CO 2 emissions after exceeding an allowance . The delivery should take place in the form of CO 2 certificates . The additional certificates would have to be purchased on the market and overwritten by the state, which would then have deleted them. The allowance should decrease with the age of the block; While blocks that are younger than 20 years would have enjoyed an unlimited allowance, i.e. would effectively be exempt from the climate contribution, the tax allowance is reduced linearly from 20 years to a base amount that is reached from the age of 40.

Although the levy should not be restricted to certain types of power plant or fuel type, ie it should be “technology and fuel-neutral”, it would in fact only have affected coal-fired power plants , especially lignite- fired power plants . This would have been achieved by the amount of the tax exemption, which should be calculated in such a way that power plants with high specific CO 2 emissions (result of efficiency, calorific value and H: C ratio of the fuel) have already exceeded it after a correspondingly low number of operating hours would. For example, while combined cycle power plants, due to their low specific CO 2 emissions and their usual operating regime ( medium to peak load ), would probably never have exhausted the allowance even at an advanced age, a typical, old lignite power plant unit would have the annual allowance after a few thousand operating hours ( i.e. in the base load after a few months). Since the additional levy would have been due from here on, the variable costs of the block would have increased, which would have slipped it backwards in the merit order , which would have meant that it would have been sold much less often, only in times of correspondingly higher electricity prices Use would have come. In return, power plants with lower specific CO 2 emissions that have not yet exhausted their allowances would have advanced in the merit order; their number of operating hours would have increased accordingly. In total, less specific CO 2 would be emitted with the same electricity production .

Since the additional charge should be paid in the form of ETS certificates, the national climate contribution according to the BMWi plan would be compatible with the European system (ETS) and would complement it. Whether this was actually to be expected or whether the German climate contribution at European level would have been undermined by adverse effects was, however, controversial (see below).

Effects

Effect on the merit order and the electricity price

The effect of the CO 2 savings should be based mainly on shifts within the merit order: power plants with high specific CO 2 emissions should be pushed back after the exemption in the merit order has been exhausted and run less often; Power plants with lower specific CO 2 emissions should move forward and therefore run more frequently.

It was disputed how much the climate contribution would have on the electricity price: According to estimates by the BMWi, based on model calculations, the shifts in the merit order would have been only minor, and therefore an electricity price increase of only around 0.2 ct / kWh (= 2 € / MWh) was to be expected. The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) forecasts an increase in the price of electricity of around 0.29 cents / kWh by 2020. As an argument against the climate protection contribution, RWE argues that the price of electricity could rise significantly more and counts on at least an additional 5 € / MWh.

It was still disputed what consequences the price increase would have for the market, power plant operators and consumers: Business associations such as the Association of the Chemical Industry or the Chamber of Commerce and Industry fear that the energy-intensive industry in Germany in particular would also have competitive disadvantages. In 2015, however, the wholesale prices of electricity were at a very low level, which also meant that power plant operators such as RWE or EnBW earned less. The DIW therefore saw a stabilization of the wholesale prices for electricity as necessary and recommended a shutdown of approx. 3 GW hard coal and 6 GW lignite. In addition to reducing CO 2 emissions by 23 million t, this would also reduce overcapacities and increase wholesale prices for electricity. This would improve the profitability of the remaining power plants and also reduce the EEG surcharge , since the difference between the exchange prices for electricity and the EEG remuneration rates would be smaller. A lowering of the EEG surcharge would primarily relieve private households and small and medium-sized enterprises and thus mitigate the price increase for these consumers.

Effects on the European emissions trading scheme

According to the concept of the BMWi, the German climate contribution should be compatible with the EU emissions trading (ETS) and supplement it, although or precisely because the ETS in its current form has not had the desired effect and is therefore not a sufficient instrument, the climate targets to be achieved by 2020.

It was disputed whether the German national climate contribution would actually improve the CO 2 balance at the European level :

The BMWi predicted a reduction in total emissions within the ETS as a result of the climate contribution. At the same time, the BMWi argued that the additional ETS certificates, which would have been due if the tax exemption was exceeded, would have increased the demand for certificates. Effects on the price are not to be expected because of the high surplus.

In contrast, RWE argued that the fact that German power plant units would be shut down because of the additional levies would prevent the desired increase in demand for certificates. The amount of certification in the ETS would remain unchanged, the consequence would be a shift of emissions abroad. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) also feared that no total CO 2 savings would be made in Europe .

According to the assessment of the consulting firm Enervis , the CO 2 reduction effect would have been significantly reduced by relocating coal- fired power generation abroad, roughly half of the CO 2 savings achieved in Germany remain.

Effects on the profitability of the power plants

It was a desired effect of the climate contribution to reduce the frequency of use - and thus the profitability - of coal-fired power plants and, in return, to improve that of gas-fired power plants.

Gas power plants

Modern, low-emission gas-fired power plants would benefit from the shift in the merit order explained above, be used more frequently and thus improve their profitability. This should also counteract the development of the last few years, in which many gas-fired power plants were only rarely used due to the low electricity price and did not work profitably overall. Under these conditions, many operators had ruled out investments in new gas-fired power plants or even announced the closure of existing gas-fired power plants.

A positive side effect of avoiding the closure of gas-fired power plants would be the associated contribution to maintaining the necessary control reserve for the power grids. Gas-fired power plants are particularly suitable as a capacity reserve due to their flexible mode of operation and their low fixed costs.

Coal power plants

It is disputed how serious the negative effects on the profitability of the affected coal-fired power plants, especially lignite-fired power plants, and the associated economy would have been:

According to the BMWi, the amount of the tax exemption and the levy was calculated so that all coal-fired power plant blocks - including the old ones - could continue to generate a positive contribution margin . As a result, no shutdowns of power plant units and therefore no shutdowns of the associated opencast mines would have been expected. A permanent shutdown of units or even a complete phase-out of coal was not intended; only the number of operating hours should be reduced. The security of supply in the power grid and jobs in the coal industry should be preserved.

In contrast, the power plant operators RWE and MIBRAG stated that the additional levy would no longer have made profitable operation for the majority of German lignite power plant units from 2017. Short-term shutdowns of power plants would have been expected, and as a result the opencast mines would have been acutely threatened. The IG BCE union , based on calculations by the Lazard investment bank, also came to the conclusion that the climate contribution would have made most of the German lignite units, and thus the opencast mines, unprofitable and threatened with closure. The IG BCE criticized that the forecasts of the BMWi were based on an unrealistically high electricity price, the results were therefore wrong.

Evaluation and discussion

The plans for the climate contribution generated mixed reactions in the days and weeks after their introduction and sparked a controversial discussion about the effects:

positive

In an open letter to the Chancellor, the 50 signatories, including mainly local politicians from the coal-mining areas, argued that a coal phase-out in Germany would have to take place in the long term as part of the energy transition and that this had to be shaped. Literally it says: "Anyone who prevents the gradual throttling of the oldest coal-fired power plants today accepts that the coal phase-out will hit the regions and workers all the more abruptly and painfully at a later date."

Many environmental politicians, especially from the SPD, but also from the Greens, backed Minister Gabriel against the criticism, above all Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks (SPD), but also some state environment ministers such as Robert Habeck (Greens) from Schleswig-Holstein or Stefan Wenzel (Greens) from Lower Saxony. The Federal Environment Agency also defended the proposal.

General approval of the climate contribution came from many environmental and climate protection organizations such as Greenpeace , WWF , BUND or NABU . Most of them welcomed the levy as a step in the right direction. At the same time, however, many criticized that the contribution did not go far enough; A complete phase-out of coal is required in the short to medium term . Greenpeace commissioned an agency to assess the consequences of the climate protection contribution. Green politicians rated the proposal in a similar way .

The proposal also received positive reactions from some environmental and economic scientists : For example, the Ecological-Social Market Economy Forum published a declaration of support from 50 scientists. The initiative Agora energy transition of Stiftung Mercator published to support a background paper on the economic impact. The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) expressed positive expectations with regard to the effect on the German electricity market.

The Federal Association for Renewable Energy (BEE) and other industry associations such as the Federal Association for Wind Energy (BWE) advocated the climate tax as a more cost-effective instrument compared to other alternatives.

The majority of municipal utilities , which often operate modern gas-fired power plants, also reacted positively . In a letter from around 80 municipal utilities to the BMWi, they write that "due to the low electricity market and CO 2 prices, only depreciated and CO 2 -intensive power plants based on brown or hard coal can be operated economically". The municipal utilities state that they are behind the energy transition and are therefore also investing in flexible and highly efficient conventional power plants. If, however, lignite and hard coal-fired power plants have market advantages, "there will be no more future investments in modern power plant technology. Here too, the climate contribution opens up opportunities to advance the conversion of the power plant portfolio."

Frank Mastiaux , CEO of the energy company EnBW , which does not operate any lignite-fired power plants, also rated the contribution to climate protection positively . In a statement he described the contribution to climate protection as a “balanced and efficient solution” even if the “economic effects on individual plants are considerable”. From an economic point of view, other solutions for achieving the climate goals are more expensive.

The SRU called the contribution to climate protection in late June 2015 "pioneering and innovative". The council spoke out in favor of a coal consensus and demanded the design of a coal exit in a thesis paper.

The German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) presented a study on the climate contribution in June 2015. The study was commissioned by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the European Climate Foundation. According to the Institute's calculations, the electricity price would rise very moderately by 0.29 cents / kWh by 2020. Due to this price increase, the majority of energy suppliers would benefit from the introduction of the levy through additional income of around 450 million euros. The DIW writes: “Since the climate contribution leads to lower full load hours of the existing power plants, no negative employment effects are to be feared. Nor does the instrument lead to a domino effect, i.e. H. the increased closure of power plants and associated opencast mines. A relocation of production in energy-intensive industries abroad is also not to be feared; the wholesale electricity prices are lower than in previous years, even with the climate contribution. ”As an alternative concept, the DIW also cites the“ regulatory requirements for emission performance standards (EPS) ”. With reference to another alternative proposal by IG BCE, the DIW writes: “The“ Capacity reserve for security of supply and climate protection ”(KVK) proposed by IG BCE corresponds to an expensive“ scrapping bonus ”for particularly old power plants; Due to the existing overcapacities, it is neither sensible in terms of the energy industry nor effective in terms of climate protection goals. "

negative

State ministers (Groschek, Dulig and Gerber), trade unionists and RWE managers at a rally against the climate contribution
Union demonstration on April 25, 2015 in Berlin

Criticism of the content of the proposal as well as the way it was presented came from Gabriel's coalition partner in the federal government, the CDU / CSU. Leading representatives, in particular from the economic wing of the Union parties (including Armin Laschet , Michael Fuchs , Georg Nüßlein , Joachim Pfeiffer , Thomas Bareiß ) complained that the BMWi's proposal was not coordinated within the governing coalition. It costs jobs and harms the economy. They asked for explanations and improvements.

The plan aroused concerns in the federal states, districts, cities and municipalities that benefit from the lignite industry. Numerous state and local politicians, often also politicians of the SPD and occasionally even the Greens, expressed concern about the expected loss of jobs and economic power and about a possible structural break. Critically expressed u. a. the majority of the economics ministers of the countries concerned, including Martin Dulig (SPD, economics minister in Saxony), Albrecht Gerber (SPD, economics and energy minister in Brandenburg), Garrelt Duin (SPD, energy and economics minister in North Rhine-Westphalia), Michael Groschek ( SPD, Minister of Construction and Transport in North Rhine-Westphalia) and Hermann Onko Aeikens (CDU, Minister for Agriculture and Environment in Saxony-Anhalt).

The coal-fired power plant operators also criticized the climate contribution: The Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW) referred to the efforts already made by the energy industry and warned of the negative effects that a one-sided burden of a single energy source could have on jobs and structures in entire federal states. Many employees - right up to the management - of the power plant operators, including RWE , MIBRAG , Vattenfall Europe , E.ON and Steag , took part in the protest against the climate tax. RWE and MIBRAG warned that the levy would likely result in the closure of numerous power plant units in the short term and, in the medium term, open-cast mines as well. The climate contribution threatens the existence of the entire lignite industry.

The Association of Industrial Energy and Power Industries (VIK), the Federal Association of German Industry (BDI), the Federal Association of Energy Buyers , the Association of the Chemical Industry (VCI), the Association of Raw Materials and Mining (VRB) and the North Rhine-Westphalian Chambers of Industry and Commerce . It is feared that there will be disadvantages due to rising electricity prices for German industry as a whole and negative effects on the regional economy due to the loss of the lignite industry as an employer and client.

The unions , in particular the industrial union for mining, chemicals and energy (IG BCE) and the United Services Union (ver.di), but also IG Metall , reacted negatively because of the alleged job losses and the feared structural break in the affected regions . On April 25, 2015, the unions organized under the motto “We defend ourselves! Areas social blackout of entire regions! ” A demonstration in Berlin, in which around 15,000 people took part.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ FAZ, coalition decides to shut down coal-fired power plants , July 2, 2015
  2. ↑ a b Bill for the law on the further development of the electricity market
  3. ↑ a b c d Federal Minister Gabriel presents the key issues paper on the electricity market - concept proposals for the further development of the electricity market, "contribution to climate protection" and for the future promotion of cogeneration. Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, March 27, 2015, accessed on April 27, 2015 .
  4. ↑ a b c d Felix Chr. Matthes, Charlotte Loreck, Hauke ​​Hermann (Öko-Institut), Frank Peter, Marco Wünsch, Inka Ziegenhagen (Prognos): The CO2 instrument for the electricity sector: Model-based background analyzes . Berlin April 13, 2015 ( download as PDF ). Download as PDF ( Memento of the original from October 27, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bmwi.de
  5. ↑ Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy: Key points paper "Electricity market" . March 2015 ( download as PDF ).
  6. ↑ asked directly: No structural breaks due to climate contribution. Interview video with State Secretary Rainer Baake. (No longer available online.) Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, March 23, 2015, archived from the original on March 4, 2016 ; accessed on May 4, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bmwi.de
  7. ↑ Federal Minister Sigmar Gabriel in front of the German Bundestag on CO2 reduction and combined heat and power. Video. (No longer available online.) Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, March 26, 2015, archived from the original on May 11, 2015 ; accessed on May 4, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bmwi.de
  8. ↑ a b After a crisis meeting: Gerber still sees opportunities in the coal dispute - "We have agreed to talk about everything again". Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg Online, March 27, 2015, accessed on May 5, 2015 .
  9. ^ Coal dispute delays Vattenfall sale. In: Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung (online). April 24, 2015, accessed April 27, 2015 .
  10. ↑ Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy: Answers from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy to the questions of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag on March 27, 2015 on the energy policy proposals of the BMWi of March 2015 . Berlin April 13, 2015 ( online as PDF ). Online as PDF ( memento of the original from October 27, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bmwi.de
  11. ↑ a b Protest against brown coal: For the climate, for the people. Greenpeace, April 25, 2015, accessed April 27, 2015 .
  12. ↑ a b c 15,000 miners and power workers in front of the Chancellery. Vassiliadis: Keep your word and start over in reality! Media information. IG BCE, April 25, 2015, accessed April 28, 2015 .
  13. ↑ a b Energy: Around 15,000 employees demonstrate against mass layoffs and for social security. United Services Union (ver.di), April 25, 2015, accessed April 27, 2015 .
  14. ^ Transcript of the press conference; Full text: Press conference by Chancellor Merkel and French President Hollande in Berlin. Federal Government, May 19, 2015, accessed on June 11, 2015 .
  15. ↑ Suppliers want to switch off blocks voluntarily: NRW prevents climate tax. In: Rheinische Post (online). June 10, 2015, accessed June 11, 2015 .
  16. ↑ The climate tax does not come. In: Tagesschau. June 23, 2015, accessed June 25, 2015 .
  17. ↑ Gabriel denies Aus for climate tax. In: Zeit Online. June 24, 2015, accessed June 25, 2015 .
  18. ↑ a b c d e Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Öko-Institut, Prognos: The national climate protection contribution of German electricity generation. Results of the “CO2 reduction” task force . Presentation. March 2015 ( download as PDF ).
  19. ↑ a b DIW press release with a link to the study on the climate contribution
  20. ↑ a b c d RWE: BMWi proposals endanger the existence of lignite . Press release. Essen March 20, 2015 ( online ).
  21. ↑ a b Evaluation of the BMWi's key points on the electricity market. Association of the Chemical Industry, March 26, 2015, accessed on May 13, 2015 .
  22. ↑ a b IHK on the “climate contribution”: Security of supply endangered. Chamber of Commerce and Industry Middle Lower Rhine, accessed on May 13, 2015 .
  23. ↑ Handelsblatt: Cheap electricity screwed up RWE profit
  24. ↑ Low electricity market price affects energy suppliers. In: Handelsblatt. November 11, 2014, accessed May 13, 2015 .
  25. ↑ DIW: Reduced power generation from coal could soon make a relevant contribution to the German climate protection goal
  26. ↑ a b National additional pollution of lignite endangers jobs. Press release. Federation of German Industries, March 20, 2015, accessed on April 28, 2015 .
  27. ↑ Is it just scare tactics for shutdowns due to CO2 taxes? (No longer available online.) In: Energie & Management Online. April 17, 2015, archived from the original on May 18, 2015 ; accessed on May 8, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.energie-und-management.de
  28. ↑ a b Letter from Stadtwerke to BMWi
  29. ↑ a b c Saxony-Anhalt is clearly committed to MIBRAG. Press release. MIBRAG, March 27, 2015, accessed April 28, 2015 .
  30. ↑ IG BCE (ed.): Potential effects of the "National Climate Protection Contribution" on the brown coal industry . Draft. April 2015 ( online as PDF ).
  31. ↑ Gabriel's plans could mean the end of lignite. In: Die Welt (Online). April 15, 2015, accessed May 8, 2015 .
  32. ↑ Further dispute over climate protection contribution from coal-fired power plants. (No longer available online.) In: Donaukurier . April 23, 2015, archived from the original on April 26, 2015 ; Retrieved April 27, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.donaukurier.de
  33. ↑ RBB, local politicians call for an orderly phase-out of lignite , June 1, 2015
  34. ↑ Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety: Hendricks welcomes Gabriel's key points on CO2 reduction in fossil power plants . Press release No. 058/15. Berlin March 20, 2015 ( online ). Online ( Memento of the original dated August 31, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.bmub.bund.de
  35. ↑ a b c Contribution to climate protection from German power plants: levy for old carrots . In: UmweltBriefe . Issue 07/2015. Walhalla Fachverlag, April 9, 2015.
  36. ↑ a b Umweltbundesamt speaks of low job cuts - Gabriel wants to improve the coal levy. Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg Online, April 24, 2015, accessed on May 5, 2015 .
  37. ↑ Effects of a partial coal phase-out
  38. ↑ Entry into the coal exit now! Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen, accessed on April 28, 2015 .
  39. ^ Forum Ökologische-Soziale Marktwirtschaft (FÖS): Dispute over climate contribution: Economists and energy scientists support Minister Gabriel's back . Press release. April 22, 2015 ( download as PDF [accessed April 27, 2015]).
  40. ↑ DIW on the energy transition: Why Gabriel's coal levy makes sense. In: Handelsblatt Online. April 21, 2015, accessed April 27, 2015 .
  41. ↑ Climate tax off the table - capacity reserve comes new energy, July 2nd, 2015
  42. ↑ Stadtwerke stand behind Gabriel's climate contribution. In: newspaper for local economy. April 24, 2015, accessed April 27, 2015 .
  43. ^ Wallstreet-Online, RWE is not the only energy company in North Rhine-Westphalia . April 28, 2015. Retrieved May 28, 2015
  44. ^ Süddeutsche Zeitung, Thick Air in the Electricity Industry , June 2, 2015
  45. ^ Süddeutsche Zeitung, coal consensus demanded
  46. ↑ Advisory Council for Environmental Issues, 10 theses on the future of coal by 2040 ( Memento of the original from September 10, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.umweltrat.de
  47. ↑ Joint declaration signed to Minister of Economic Affairs - Lusatian cities fight against coal levy. Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg Online, April 15, 2015, accessed on May 5, 2015 .
  48. ↑ Greens vote against Gabriel. In: Erft-Kurier (online). April 24, 2015, accessed May 5, 2015 .
  49. ↑ "I expect the paper to come off the table!" Energy Minister Dulig on the key issues paper on the "national contribution to climate protection". Media information. Medienservice Sachsen, Saxon State Chancellery, Free State of Saxony, April 17, 2015, accessed on April 27, 2015 .
  50. ↑ Energy Minister Gerber: "The key point paper has to be taken off the table" "No destruction of the Lausitz area". State of Brandenburg, Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (MWE), April 17, 2015, accessed on April 27, 2015 .
  51. ^ Crisis meeting on lignite-off at RWE. Garrelt Duin: Others also have to make a contribution to the climate. In: Rheinische Post (online). March 26, 2015, accessed May 5, 2015 .
  52. ↑ Hildegard Müller on the letter from the Federal Minister of Economics to workers in the energy industry. Statement for the press. (No longer available online.) BDEW, April 2, 2015, formerly in the original ; Retrieved April 27, 2015 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.bdew.de  
  53. ↑ RWE Vice Dr. E. Uhlig outraged by the BMWI climate contribution. (No longer available online.) In: GrevenbroichTV.de. Formerly in the original ; Retrieved April 27, 2015 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.grevenbroichtv.de  
  54. ^ Statement on the current proposals of the BMWi: The VIK rejects the proposals of the Federal Ministry of Economics. Press release. Association of Industrial Energy and Power Industries, March 27, 2015, accessed on April 27, 2015 .
  55. ↑ Key issues paper “Electricity Market”: BMWi's plans endanger decentralized, environmentally friendly energy generation. (No longer available online.) Federal Association of Energy Customers, March 25, 2015, archived from the original on March 4, 2016 ; Retrieved April 29, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.vea.de
  56. ↑ Avoid additional burdens on climate protection after 2017. (No longer available online.) IHK NRW - The Chambers of Industry and Commerce in North Rhine-Westphalia, April 16, 2015, formerly in the original ; Retrieved April 27, 2015 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.ihk-nrw.de  
  57. ↑ IG Metall boss accuses Gabriel of "head through the wall" policy. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung Online (sueddeutsche.de). April 25, 2015, accessed April 27, 2015 .