Indications from the coalition agreement between the conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the Social Democrats in Germany are that the new government will continue the country’s landmark energy transition without major adjustments and will adhere to existing climate targets.

This is according to a report published by Clean Energy Wire in late April. The report deals individually with the full range of policy issues including renewables, fossil fuels and the electricity system, hydrogen and carbon capture, transport, buildings and heating, and climate adaptation.

The report also refers to issues not mentioned in the agreement.

Overall, the parties agreed to maintain Germany’s 2045 target to become climate neutral, to reduce energy prices to increase competitiveness, and to ramp up investments in the country’s ailing infrastructure. They also remain committed to German and European climate targets, including the Paris Agreement and the national 2045 climate neutrality target

In terms of policy around hydrogen and carbon capture, CLEW highlights the coalition’s intention to:

• Ramp up the hydrogen economy, using “all colours” in the transition.
• Adopt a legislative package to enable CO₂ capture, transport, utilisation, and storage, in particular for industrial processes where emissions are hard to avoid, as well as for gas-fired power plants.
• Enable CO₂ storage offshore outside the territorial sea in Germany’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as well as onshore “where geologically suitable and accepted”, through opt-in provision for federal states.
• “Highest priority”: ratification of amendment of the London Protocol to allow CO₂ export for storage offshore in other countries, as well as bilateral agreements.

Read the full report here.