BERLIN (AP) — The German government presented a major package of reforms Wednesday to boost the production of renewable power as part of its efforts to meet its climate goals and become independent of energy imports from hostile nations such as Russia.
The 600-page “Easter package” approved by Cabinet lays out ambitious goals for the expansion of offshore power and declares the installation of renewable energy to be of “overriding public interest.”
"In sum, this package will lead to a significant increase in renewable energy,” Economy and Energy Minister Robert Habeck told reporters in Berlin.
But he acknowledged that Germany still has to make a huge effort to meet its ambitious climate goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to "net zero" by 2045, and will likely miss its short-term targets due to failures of the past.
“It's the precondition, not the solution for everything,” said Habeck.
He added that the war in Ukraine would also affect plans, with Germany using more home-mined coal to replace the gap caused by a reduction in Russian energy imports.
Still, Germany has already managed to significantly cut its purchase of Russian coal, oil and gas in recent months. Germany wants to stop importing oil and coal from Russia this year, and gas by mid-2024, said Habeck.
“You can see at what speed we are becoming independent of Russian energy," he added.
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