The Conference of Energy Ministers wants to coordinate energy policy between the federal and state governments. Two focal points are the framework conditions for the heat transition and energy costs.
The energy ministers of the federal states want to discuss the financing of the heat and energy transition at their conference with the federal government in Kiel. Especially in the area of the heat transition, there is a need for security for the following years, beyond the current framework provided by the federal government, as to how the financing of the conversion of the heat supply is planned, said Schleswig-Holstein Energy State Secretary Joschka Knuth (Greens) before the conference began.
The federal government is spending 500 million euros on the initial creation of the states’ heat plans. At the same time, however, all municipalities are obliged to update, further develop and implement these heat supply plans – this will trigger further costs that should not be left to the municipalities or states. In addition, financing and regulation must be supported in such a way that they remain affordable for consumers.
Goal: climate-neutral heat supply
In addition to the challenges for states and municipalities in implementing the transition to a climate-neutral heat supply, the issue of price transparency and pricing is central for consumers, says Knuth. This is the only way to gain acceptance for switching from fossil fuels to renewable energies for heating. The Schleswig-Holstein state government therefore wants to advocate for a reform of the district heating regulation.
In this regulation, the price is calculated, among other things, based on comparable fuels, which would lead to increasing costs for consumers due to the comparison with fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas and the increasing price of carbon dioxide. However, according to Knuth, this calculation makes little sense in a heating network that is only powered by renewable energies.
The state secretaries of the ministries are meeting today at the energy ministers’ conference. The actual meeting of all federal and state energy ministers will only begin tomorrow. The aim of the conference is to coordinate the energy policy of all federal states with each other and with the federal government, according to the Schleswig-Holstein Energy Transition Ministry. A second meeting is planned for November in Brunsbüttel.
Source: Stern
