Vattenfall CEO: “The energy transition is irreversible”
The major energy suppliers are literally sidelining the new Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche.
Reiche’s energy policy is considered anti-business by Robert Zurawski, head of Germany for the third-largest energy company Vattenfall. In an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung on July 21, 2025, he said, “The energy transition is now irreversible.”
The Vattenfall boss contradicts Reiche’s plan to build 20 new gas-fired power plants. Vattenfall will not invest in gas-fired power plants, but in renewable energies: “Actually, we are now the perfect electricity company in Germany. We generate electricity from renewable energies, we have huge pumped storage facilities, we trade energy and we are number three in electricity sales, with more than five million customers. And we are still expanding.“
The Vattenfall CEO addressed Ms. Reiche, who wants to slow down the expansion of renewables: ”We cannot afford a dent in the expansion of renewables… Europe will only remain competitive if it leaves fossil fuels behind. Not the other way around.”
According to the Vattenfall CEO, CO2 emissions are becoming increasingly expensive in EU emissions trading. Network costs for gas are rising as fewer and fewer customers finance the distribution network. And finally, the Vattenfall CEO—again in contrast to Ms. Reiche—is betting on heat pumps: “There have been extreme technical advances in heat pumps over the last five years. We are well on our way.”
Many years ago, Vattenfall managers admitted to me that they could have saved billions if they had understood the title of my 1992 book earlier: “The sun doesn’t send us a bill.”
The head of EnBW argues similarly, although he now says: “The sun really doesn’t send us a bill.”
Dear Ms. Reiche: With your fossil gas policy, you are damaging the German economy and putting the brakes on progress. Even though your government has just promised an “upswing.” The sun and wind don’t send bills, after all. The old energy suppliers have learned that lesson by now. Perhaps you will understand it too. It would be desirable and helpful. The solar energy transition is indeed irreversible.
The world is currently experiencing a solar revolution because renewables are unbeatably cheap – and environmentally friendly to boot. And they make us independent of foreign fossil fuel imports.
Source
Franz Alt 2025 | Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
