By Jack Dini ——Bio and Archives--June 17, 2024
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Germany is clearly struggling. It was the only G7 economy to shrink last year and is set to be the group’s slowest growing economy again this year. Some pundits say Germany’s economy model is irreparably broken. (1)
Blackout News reports that there is no end in sight for Germany’s self-inflicted energy crisis. Energy prices are expected to continue rising, thus posing a huge risk to industry. “There has been nothing comparable since 2016, the year the data was first collected. This development not only points to internal company problems, it also highlights the extensive economic challenges the country is facing.” Insolvencies are even worse than during the Covid pandemic lock down years. (2)
Germany is the world champion in electricity prices—no country pays more for electricity. It is three times higher than the international average. It’s widely known that Germany’s electric power supply has the grid constantly, on the brink with power outages and even blackouts. This is in large part due to their rushed phasing out of base load coal and nuclear power while installing mass capacities of unstable wind and solar power. Germans are threatened with additional energy price increases in the future. They expect prices to double permanently. (3)
The number of Germany’s corporate insolvencies in March reached the highest level on record. It’s the Great Green Energies economic debacle. The trend is alarming and a sign of the worsening economic crisis. In recent months, several automotive suppliers have had to close their doors or file for insolvency. Germany luxury car maker Audi is now planning to move production out of Germany. (4)
In Germany, the Federal Ministry of Economics, headed by the Green Party, has grossly miscalculated the cost of removing oil and gas heating from homes and buildings and installing heat pumps in their place by 2045 . Instead of a 132 billion euros bill for citizens by 2045, the real price tag will be a whopping 621 billion euros! The total real price tag for all buildings will be 776 billion euros.
Another huge mistake made by the Green Party is forgetting that heat pumps have a lifetime of only 20 years, so by 2045, the pumps will need to begin being replaced. All of this for an impact on the globe that will be statistically insignificant. (5)
The mood in Germany has become outright ugly as citizens reel from high inflation and fear government policy initiatives that would bankrupt many if enacted. Business sentiment among small to medium companies is souring rapidly.
The German government has shut down its remaining nuclear power plants after lying to the country in claiming they weren’t needed just after experts had concluded the opposite was, in fact, true. The government plans to phase out coal power plants as well, which will only further exacerbate Germany’s energy woes and its hostile business environment. However, a recent twist: during late April, Germany’s energy regulator said the country needs more coal power. That’s surprising news, because its leaders have long bought into global warming alarmism, But it again highlights the problems that arise when green rhetoric on energy runs into reality. (6)
Another issue about coal: After the coal phase out in Lusatia, the river Spree, which flows in the states of Berlin, Saxony and Brandenburg, could yield up to 75 percent less water in certain areas during dry summer months with consequences for lakes, canals and drinking water supply. (7)
President Biden’s net zero goal will result in higher electricity prices, instability to the grid, and higher taxes to pay for the tax incentives on renewable energy. Should we really follow Germany’s lead?
Biden isn’t alone in this foolishness. Ministers from all of Group Seven (G7) nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom,, the United States and the European Union) have all agreed to eliminate all coal fired power plants by 2035.
China has the most coal fired power plants in the world with 1,142 operational plants and the highest installed capacity of coal plants with 1,109 gigawatts. It is also the largest climate polluter in the world.
India has the second most coal power plants, with approximately 285 active plants. The United States has 240 active plants.
Of real importance: the G7 agreement will not impact China and India, as they are not members of G7. (8)
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John William Dini, know to all as ‘Jack’, passed away at the age of 89 on June 17, 2026. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on Nov. 14, 1936.
He published two books, a technical book on materials science and coatings and another on environmental issues. In retirement, he wrote extensively on various environmental issues for online publications.
He was a skilled leaded glass hobbyist, creating more than 20 lamps and many panels. He was a jogger for many years, competing in over 300 long distance races. He was a slow runner, not wanting to take the glory away from others. His secret was to start slow and taper. He and Anne traveled extensively, visiting over 70 countries.
He is survived by his wife, Anne, of 67 years, and sons Mike, Steve, and Paul. If you were to meet him somewhere, he would sum up his life as ‘peaches and cream’.