Nnormally loads Andrew Pinkwart to his ministry for interviews. This time it was only possible by phone, because the Economics Minister travels a lot in the Rhenish Revier to find out about projects for the time after the Brown coal to inform.
WORLD: Mr. Pinkwart, the new coalition in Berlin wants at climate protection Speed up and phase out coal by 2030. In your opinion, is this achievable? And what does it mean for the lignite and industrial state of NRW?
Andrew Pinkwart: We have to look at that climate get out of the coal as quickly as possible, that is now clear to everyone. and North Rhine-Westphalia is ready to bear the brunt of the coal phase-out in the 1920s. At the same time, when it comes to energy, in addition to climate protection, we must also pay attention to security of supply and affordability for citizens and companies. And there is not much time left until 2030.
WORLD: So what has to happen?
pink warden: It is not enough to unilaterally increase climate protection targets. We must also develop and implement a concrete strategy for a secure and affordable energy supply. This is one of the reasons why we have further developed our strategy presented in 2019 and have now decided it in the cabinet.
WORLD: What are the core goals, for example when expanding the wind power?
pink warden: The acceptance-assured expansion of wind energy plays an important role in our strategy. We are increasing the already ambitious expansion target from 10.5 to 12 gigawatts in 2030, which corresponds to doubling the current six gigawatts. For 2035 we consider an increase to 15 gigawatts possible, by 2045 even to 18 gigawatts. That would correspond to an average annual net addition of 100 modern wind turbines, each with an output of five megawatts.
WORLD: At the end of 2020 there were only about 3800 wind turbines in NRW, of which only 92 in forests. They now also want to release more areas in the forest, on areas that have been devastated by storms and bark beetles.
pink warden: On these so-called calamity areas, wind turbines should be able to be operated for one cycle, i.e. up to 30 years. At the same time, high-quality mixed forest should grow back there instead of coniferous trees. After 30 years, however, the wind turbines should not be allowed to be replaced by so-called repowering.
WORLD: How is this electricity supposed to be replaced afterwards? Is there perhaps enough wind power from the coasts?
pink warden: You’re addressing an important point: We want to establish offshore wind energy as the central pillar of the climate-neutral energy system, and the federal government’s corresponding expansion target should be increased to 30 gigawatts by 2030 and 70 gigawatts by 2045. Around 20 gigawatts of clean electricity would then be available for NRW.
WORLD: What about photovoltaics?
pink warden: In 2020, 580 megawatts of new photovoltaic capacity was installed in NRW, which means that the state has significantly exceeded the expansion of the previous year for the fifth time in a row. We see much greater potential in photovoltaics than in wind power. This is shown by a study by the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection. We are therefore going well beyond the previous expansion targets: by 2030 we will triple the installed capacity from currently around six gigawatts to at least 18 gigawatts, and if possible even quadruple it to 24 gigawatts. And in our new campaign “Photovoltaics on commercial roofs” we are advertising more systems in commercial areas, on agricultural land, in apartment buildings and also on water surfaces.
WORLD: Are there any bottlenecks or even blackouts?
pink warden: In the mid-1920s Germany will be dependent on more nuclear power from France and coal-fired power from other countries, at least when little wind and solar power is available. We urgently need modern storage and bridging technologies to support us in the transition phase.
WORLD: You mean gas-fired power plants, which nobody wants to build because of the high costs?
pink warden: Yes, modern gas-fired power plants that can later work with hydrogen, initially also mixed with clean natural gas. This is already being worked on intensively, also with know-how in power plant technology from NRW. The Energy Economics Institute of the University Cologne sees an additional requirement of more than 23 gigawatts if coal is phased out by 2030. That means around six gigawatts for us in the country. The federal government must create planning security here so that such investments are worthwhile. And for the back-up services, i.e. the protection of the network when there is no wind or lack of sunshine, the companies must be paid. New gas-fired power plants should preferably be built at existing coal sites where there are already efficient electricity and, above all, gas networks.
WORLD: So the exit can succeed in 2030?
pink warden: If we create the conditions, yes. But it is important that the year 2022 is used. After all, it normally takes six to eight years for a new gas-fired power plant to be up and running. Then it will already be 2030. We have to start implementing it very quickly now.
WORLD: What about the jobs in the lignite? Around 9,000 people are still directly dependent on lignite, and several thousand more and their families are indirectly dependent on it. Not all of them will be able to find work in gas-fired power plants.
pink warden: In return, the new start in the Rhenish mining area, which the state and federal government have initiated, can create 27,000 jobs, in an optimal scenario even 32,000. And even in the worst-case scenario, 19,000 new jobs could still be created, say researchers from IW Consult in a study. In any case, this would at least compensate for the 14,400 direct and indirect jobs lost due to coal. Thanks to the good cooperation in the region and the large number of exciting projects that have already been recommended for funding and started by the Rheinisches Revier Zukunftsagentur, I am optimistic that the possible increase in employment in the region will move towards the upper end.
WORLD: Industry is also to be converted towards climate neutrality. How fast can that go?
pink warden: Our prosperity depends to a large extent on our export strength. Example steel: In North Rhine-Westphalia we have powerful steel companies such as Thyssenkrupp or HKM in Duisburgwhich rely on a climate-neutral production method with the help of hydrogen have to be converted. This requires huge investments in the billions. Thyssenkrupp Steel initially wants to produce steel in which gas replaces coking coal. The switch to hydrogen for the production of green steel will take place later. To this end, Duisburg is to be connected to a hydrogen pipeline from Emsland.
WORLD: Could NRW become a role model for other industrial and coal regions?
pink warden: Absolutely, we have more than 40 coal regions across Europe. I do think that we are setting an example there. If the transformation shows good results and opens up new perspectives for people, we can develop into a model region for Europe. then wmany will want to follow our example.
Note: In an earlier version, the beginning of the text incorrectly stated that Andreas Pinkwart is a CDU politician. We apologize for this error.