Extending nuclear plant lifespans hinders green energy

Forty-two German top managers have criticised Germany's plans for an energy tax in an advertisement published on the weekend, and demanded that the nuclear phaseout be postponed. The liberal daily Handelsblatt advises the government to talk not only with the energy giants but also with local energy producers: "Extending running times by just eight years would give the operators of nuclear power plants additional revenues of up to 55 billion euros. At the same time their competitors would suffer losses of around seven billion euros - three billion euros for local enterprises alone. Especially worrying is that there would hardly be any incentives for new investment, while renewable energies would be lastingly hindered. The pricing structure on the energy market means that the nuclear power plants which have already been amortised will squeeze out new, efficient and flexible combined heat and power generation. ... Extending the running times as a bridge to renewable energy is barking up the wrong tree. The true way forward is to resolutely develop regenerative energy."

» more information (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Tax Policy, » Inflation, » Germany
All available articles from » Albert Filbert

» To the complete press review of Monday, August 23, 2010