Germany Weighs Cutting Power Subsidies for Industry Customers
Electric power lines and pylons in the countryside near Berlin.
Photographer: Michele Tantussi/Bloomberg
This article is for subscribers only.
Germany’s government is considering cutting electricity subsidies for energy-intensive industries in a move aimed to encourage off-peak power use and speed up the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Companies can currently save as much as 80% of their grid fees if their annual power use is above a certain level. This spurs them to consume more power to stay above that threshold, and makes them less flexible on when electricity is used, according to an Economy Ministry document published by Parliament.