Comment: Without coal and nuclear energy, Germany is in a dead end

Even people close to the Greens now admit that it might have been better to let the last three nuclear power plants run longer. And that it was perhaps wrong to declare a coal phase-out in 2030 as a political goal, even though the law only states 2038 as the end year for coal.

The rapid end to nuclear power in the midst of a serious energy supply crisis and the rapid phase-out of coal, which is well underway, are proving to be a heavy burden for the entire economy. In retrospect, a little less enthusiasm in the exits would have been sensible.

The weaknesses of the decisions taken in previous years are becoming apparent these days. The shortage of secured electricity generation capacity - i.e. systems that, unlike wind turbines and photovoltaic systems, can be switched on and off regardless of the weather - is reflected in high prices.

If electricity production from renewable sources is not sufficient to cover demand, gas-fired power plants must be switched on. The high gas prices drive up electricity prices during these phases.