Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) acknowledged the role of energy suppliers in overcoming the energy crisis caused by the Russian gas supply stop. A feared energy shortage did not occur “because we stuck together and acted decisively,” said Scholz in Essen in front of several thousand employees of the energy company RWE.
In addition to gas storage, the construction of terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas savings by companies and households, important energy suppliers also made their contribution “when it mattered.” Addressing the RWE employees, he said: “With your commitment, you all made it possible for us to accomplish this national and European feat.” RWE has reactivated coal-fired power plants and extended their running times in order to save gas in electricity production. RWE also made a decisive contribution to the development of a new import infrastructure for liquid gas.
The Chancellor expressed his conviction that 80 percent of Germany’s electricity will come from renewable energies by 2030. “We’re picking up the pace, we’re making progress, we can do it,” he said. He referred to the recent sharp increase in the number of permits for solar and wind systems. “Now we have to ensure that they are not only approved quickly, but also built quickly.” The federal government is working to ensure that the energy supply in the future will be “safe, reliable and affordable,” Scholz continued.
RWE is a “particularly strong and important partner in the energy transition,” said Scholz. “Because RWE is living the transformation like no other company.”
125th anniversary of the energy company
The reason for the speech at an employee party was the energy company’s 125th anniversary. According to RWE, around 10,000 employees from all over the world took part in the festival in several exhibition halls. A private concert by pop singer Robbie Williams was planned later in the evening.
RWE is Germany’s largest electricity producer. The company wants to phase out coal-fired power generation by 2030. While the focus used to be on electricity production from coal and nuclear power, RWE now sees itself as a world-leading green electricity provider that produces electricity from wind and solar power, among other things. The company wants to significantly expand its green generation capacities by 2030. The group employs around 19,000 people worldwide.
