Out of lignite by 2030? What is being promoted in NRW, the Greens also want in Saxony-Anhalt. They also demand more commitment from Economics Minister Schulze.
Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - The state chairmen of the Greens are calling for an earlier exit from lignite in Saxony-Anhalt. "The coal phase-out is definitely conceivable faster than 2038. We want to create the framework for a coal phase-out by 2030," said Dennis Helmich of the German Press Agency.
The Bundestag and Bundesrat decided to phase out the burning of coal to generate electricity by 2038. However, the coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP in the federal government agreed in the coalition agreement that the coal phase-out should ideally take place by 2030. At the beginning of October it was also announced that the phase-out of coal in the Rhenish mining area is to be brought forward by eight years to 2030.
Helmich is also promoting an earlier exit in Saxony-Anhalt. "We are currently still at the beginning of the conversion. But we want to accelerate and I think we can do it." But the state government still has to do a lot for that. "If you don't consistently push ahead with the expansion of renewable energies, you'll torpedo that."
Co-Chairman Madeleine Linke also considers an earlier exit to be realistic. "New jobs are already being created in the energy sector." Economics Minister Sven Schulze (CDU) could "do a lot more" in terms of economic development, so that, for example, other companies would settle and manufacturers of wind turbines and their suppliers "will not be further reduced". "We need an economy minister who finally recognizes that structural change and transformation are a win for the country."
Saxony-Anhalt's Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) had recently warned several times against questioning the coal compromise. "The goals of supply security and electricity price stability prohibit a discussion about a premature exit from lignite." He also pointed out that many of the planned major projects in the regions affected by structural change would not have any significant economic impact before 2038.
A black-red-yellow alliance has governed Saxony-Anhalt since September 2021. The FDP has replaced the Greens in the state government.
