Berlin is burning coal like it’s 1990. The great German Energiewende? It’s on life support. New data shows German coal-fired power generation rose 12% in the last quarter. The target? 80% renewable electricity by 2030. Dream on.
Meanwhile, across the North Sea, Britain just smashed its own record. Wind turbines supplied over 60% of UK electricity for the first time. Not a bad week for Boris’s net-zero drive. But don’t pop the champagne just yet.
Whitehall insiders are watching Berlin with alarm. The German U-turn makes the EU’s green targets look like a house of cards. Every time the wind drops in Europe, Germany fires up a coal plant. That’s not a transition. That’s a relapse.
The numbers are brutal. German coal plants are running at nearly 70% capacity. That’s higher than at any point since 2016. The government says it’s needed for energy security after losing Russian gas. But the climate hawks are screaming betrayal.
Behind the scenes, the real story is about power. German industry bosses are lobbying furiously to keep coal online. They say green hydrogen and carbon capture are years away. They’re right. But the Paris Accord doesn’t give a damn about excuses.
The irony is thick. Britain, which once led the world in coal power, now barely uses it. The UK’s last coal plant is due to close next year. Germany still has over 30 gigawatts of coal capacity. That’s enough to power half of Europe.
Downing Street is quietly crowing. Officials point to the UK’s wind boom as proof that green growth works. Offshore wind has halved in cost in a decade. Germany’s offshore wind? A bureaucratic mess. Permits take years. NIMBYism rules.
But there’s a backbench revolt brewing in Westminster. Tory MPs from red wall seats are asking why German industry gets cheap coal while British factories pay sky-high carbon prices. The Treasury is nervous. A carbon border tax is now seriously being discussed.
The EU is watching too. Brussels needs Germany to stay on track for 2050 neutrality. If Berlin falters, the entire bloc’s climate credibility is shot. Expect some very tense late-night phone calls in the coming weeks.
For now, the numbers speak for themselves. British wind: record. German coal: surging. The Paris Accord? It’s only as strong as its weakest link. And right now, that link is in Berlin.
