Germany’s New Energy Minister Calls for 20 GW Gas Capacity and “Reality Check” On Renewables, Supports Non-Green Hydrogen

Renewable energy alone will not supply an industrial nation like Germany reliably and affordably, incoming Energy Minister Katherina Reiche declared in her inaugural remarks, questioning the 100 percent renewables ambition. At the Ludwig Erhard Summit in Tegernsee, she pressed for a rapid tender for at least 20 gigawatts of gas‑fired power plants, arguing that “we need flexible gas‑fired power plants that can supply electricity when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. And we need that quickly.”