Prices at the pump have leapt since the start of the conflict – but clinging to fossil fuels will only prolong the pain, says Berlin-based journalist Tania Roettger
Why was it 6%? Was it because you decided 30 or so years ago that you should stop with nuclear instead of servicing your plants?
Seeing as you import loads of coal, oil and nuclear power from all over Europe, maybe your electrical system isn’t as green as you seemingly love to claim? (You’re far from the first German I’ve spoken to about this topic whom held the same position)
Not sure who you’re yelling at, your communication style is unnecessarily confrontational. I am rarely aligned with what the German government does, nor was I involved in any of the decision making. But I do believe that nuclear has no long term future, especially if we need to import uranium from abroad, specifically Russia.
Well maintained plants might be safe, but we see how every summer several need to be throttled down because cooling water is running out. Noone has figured out where we put the waste, in classic human fashion we bury it in the ground and hope someone will figure it out before that becomes its own disaster.
I don’t claim Germany has green energy, yet it made some significant progress in the past decade. Despite most governments repeatedly making the worst possible decisions. Like crippling the solar industry in the east or handing our tax money over to big oil and gas. Admittedly having to import most of our solar panels from China isn’t great either, but I prefer a once of purchase over a subscription.
I’m bothered because your policies have fucked up my electrical bill. Nowadays it’s €200 a month in the summer and €1200 in the winter. Used to be €200 in the coldest months when there’s -20C, basically no sunshine and no wind to speak of.
But sure, fuck nuclear.
Sweden has one (1) reserve power plant. Oil based. Has been turned on twice in the past 30 years. First time was 22 hours or so during a super cold day in ~2014. Second time in summer 2022. Has been running for almost 4 years and still counting, because it makes financial sense to provide Germany with electricity produced through burning 400 liters (regular bathtub capacity) of oil per second. Please, fix your national production somehow.
Oh no, I didn’t realise you pay more for energy now. Of course then let’s build more nuclear power plants because they’re famously cheap to build, operate and maintain.
You sound like all my favorite Germans suddenly outraged by war(crimes) because gas prices went up.
Electricity prices regularly go into the negative on windy/sunny days. It’s not me ripping you off with your energy bill. So instead of repeating populist rhetoric, I suggest you start yelling at your own government. We need to stop importing overpriced LNG and oil and continue to focus on renewables (for Sweden probably geothermal and hydro). Don’t worry, I’ll be doing the same here. Europe can figure this out together if we only start yelling at the right people.
Sweden already net exports 19.4% of what we produce. Hydro is not free of problems, it famously destroys the travelways of eels and other water creatures. Replacing the capacity of one nuclear plant with wind parks fucks up bird life, and allegedly the turbine blades are hard to recycle. More solar would be welcome but doesn’t help shit on those winter nights when we need the electricity the most.
One of the underwater cables from Scania to northern Germany broke for a few days, suddenly our electricity was affordable again. Weird how that works.
Why was it 6%? Was it because you decided 30 or so years ago that you should stop with nuclear instead of servicing your plants? Seeing as you import loads of coal, oil and nuclear power from all over Europe, maybe your electrical system isn’t as green as you seemingly love to claim? (You’re far from the first German I’ve spoken to about this topic whom held the same position)
Not sure who you’re yelling at, your communication style is unnecessarily confrontational. I am rarely aligned with what the German government does, nor was I involved in any of the decision making. But I do believe that nuclear has no long term future, especially if we need to import uranium from abroad, specifically Russia.
Well maintained plants might be safe, but we see how every summer several need to be throttled down because cooling water is running out. Noone has figured out where we put the waste, in classic human fashion we bury it in the ground and hope someone will figure it out before that becomes its own disaster.
I don’t claim Germany has green energy, yet it made some significant progress in the past decade. Despite most governments repeatedly making the worst possible decisions. Like crippling the solar industry in the east or handing our tax money over to big oil and gas. Admittedly having to import most of our solar panels from China isn’t great either, but I prefer a once of purchase over a subscription.
I’m bothered because your policies have fucked up my electrical bill. Nowadays it’s €200 a month in the summer and €1200 in the winter. Used to be €200 in the coldest months when there’s -20C, basically no sunshine and no wind to speak of. But sure, fuck nuclear.
Sweden has one (1) reserve power plant. Oil based. Has been turned on twice in the past 30 years. First time was 22 hours or so during a super cold day in ~2014. Second time in summer 2022. Has been running for almost 4 years and still counting, because it makes financial sense to provide Germany with electricity produced through burning 400 liters (regular bathtub capacity) of oil per second. Please, fix your national production somehow.
Oh no, I didn’t realise you pay more for energy now. Of course then let’s build more nuclear power plants because they’re famously cheap to build, operate and maintain. You sound like all my favorite Germans suddenly outraged by war(crimes) because gas prices went up.
Electricity prices regularly go into the negative on windy/sunny days. It’s not me ripping you off with your energy bill. So instead of repeating populist rhetoric, I suggest you start yelling at your own government. We need to stop importing overpriced LNG and oil and continue to focus on renewables (for Sweden probably geothermal and hydro). Don’t worry, I’ll be doing the same here. Europe can figure this out together if we only start yelling at the right people.
Sweden already net exports 19.4% of what we produce. Hydro is not free of problems, it famously destroys the travelways of eels and other water creatures. Replacing the capacity of one nuclear plant with wind parks fucks up bird life, and allegedly the turbine blades are hard to recycle. More solar would be welcome but doesn’t help shit on those winter nights when we need the electricity the most.
One of the underwater cables from Scania to northern Germany broke for a few days, suddenly our electricity was affordable again. Weird how that works.