Several associations and trade unions in Germany’s energy-intensive industries have issued a unanimous call to policymakers for a decision on how to make electricity affordable for industrial users, Kallanish notes.
Along with Wirtschaftsvereinigung Stahl, the federations and unions of glass, chemicals, construction materials and nonferrous metals have formed the Allianz pro Brückenstrompreis – Alliance for a Bridge Electricity Price.
“The transformation to climate neutrality requires massive amounts of green electricity – and it must be affordable,” says WV Stahl manging director Kerstin Maria Rippel. She notes that Germany’s electricity costs are two to three times higher than those of European and international competitors. “This hits the companies in the steel industry hard, which are currently taking giant steps towards decarbonisation. That is why we need a bridge electricity price – not permanently, but for the transition,” she maintains.
The members of the alliance represent a total of more than 1.1 million employees in over eight thousand companies. According to a recent brief study, a total of up to 2.4 million jobs and some €240 billion ($261 billion) in added value depend on the companies in energy-intensive sectors.
The members of the alliance are pleading for a quick solution to the current debate on a bridge electricity price. They point to the looming risk of site closures, job losses and relocations to other countries.
Christian Koehl Germany
