BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Green Party leader Felix Banaszak has criticized considerations by Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz (CDU) regarding a potential delay in the coal phase-out. "Merz seems to be stuck in the last millennium when it comes to energy policy," Banaszak told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Berlin.

Banaszak bets on renewables

"The backbone of our energy system is not a new stifling program for solar and wind energy or billions for coal corporations, but renewable energies, significantly more flexibility, and digital energy grids," Banaszak emphasized.

The Greens accuse Economy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) of slowing down the expansion of renewable energies with her plans for the power grid. "Ensuring Germany's independence from fossil fuel markets and their price shocks is the task facing Merz and Reiche, especially given the current situation with the Iran conflict," Banaszak explained.

Greens fear new costs

"Nothing in politics is as reliable as the conservatives' love for fossil fuels. But this obsession is not only fatal for climate targets; it is also damn expensive," said Banaszak. "If Merz reopens the coal compromise now, coal corporations will be looking for handouts after having already adjusted their plans for a phase-out by 2038."

The background to this is the assumption that coal companies would demand further compensation payments in the event of an extension and the associated changes to their business plans. Operators RWE and LEAG have already received compensation for the premature decommissioning of their power plants.

What Merz said

In Merz's view, coal-fired power plants could run longer than planned. "We must now move quickly into the construction of gas-fired power plants," he said on Friday at the "F.A.Z. Congress 2026" in Frankfurt. "And we may, if the energy crisis continues and a shortage actually occurs, we may even have to keep existing coal-fired power plants on the grid longer."

He stated that Germany must be supplied with electricity. "I am not prepared to jeopardize the core of our industry just because we have decided on phase-out plans that are unrealistic." Germany is currently scheduled to phase out coal-fired power generation gradually by 2038./hrz/DP/nas