Drugs: Rich wants to hinder energy transition and citizen energy - Germany's Green Party slams grid reforms as a threat to renewable energy growth

Green Party leader Katharina Dröge has sharply criticised Federal Economics Minister Katharina Reiche's latest grid reform proposals. The plans, according to Dröge, risk undermining Germany's energy transition by removing key protections for renewable energy projects. She warns the changes could create uncertainty for investors and local communities alike.

Reiche's proposed grid package would give grid operators full control over connecting renewable energy facilities. Currently, operators receive compensation when their energy output is curtailed due to grid constraints. Under the new rules, this compensation would end, and facility owners would also have to share the costs of grid expansion.

Dröge argues that these changes would strip away planning and investment security for businesses and citizens. She claims the reforms could deter future funding and fragment regional energy planning, leading to chaos rather than progress. Over the past five years, around 1,200 citizen-led energy projects have launched across Germany, with Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Lower Saxony leading the way.

The Green Party has pledged to oppose Reiche's proposals, insisting they would harm decentralised energy initiatives. Dröge highlights the importance of citizen energy projects, which benefit individuals, municipalities, and cooperatives. Environmental and business groups have also condemned the plans, warning they could slow Germany's push for 80% renewable electricity by 2030 and full decarbonisation by 2045.

The dispute centres on how Germany will manage its grid expansion while keeping renewable projects viable. If Reiche's plans move forward, renewable operators could face higher costs and less financial protection. The outcome will shape whether local energy initiatives can continue growing at their current pace.