Germany is an industrialised country and, perhaps more than any other nation, is linked economically with neighbouring states and integrated into the world economy. The importance of a competitive industry for our prosperity and well-being has been proved time and again in recent years. Germany as an industrial and economic location depends on competitive and sound energy and electricity supplies. In this respect, the energy system and industrial output are not ends in themselves, but a means for achieving central political goals that are described in terms of prosperity, democracy and rule of law. Germany and Europe are facing huge challenges. At stake are the stability of public finances, demographic change and the sustainability of social systems, the euro or financial crisis and, not least, the funding of the Energiewende and the follow-up costs of reunification. The challenges can be tackled if the economic base is stable and if growth is achieved. The current data on debt development proves this. Growth is the No. 1 subject in the EU. If high energy or CO2 prices, higher taxes or more subsidies had the effect of generating growth, all would be very simple. But this is obviously not the case. Achieving growth is a complex task. It is evident that low-cost energy is a positive competitive factor and contributes to growth. Which is why energy as a subject deserves pragmatic and realistic treatment. In the energy sector, Germany will not be able to do anything fundamentally different from anybody else. Phasing out nuclear energy and substituting its lost contribution to supply by using renewables is a very sizeable task in itself, and one which will place heavy strains on Germany until 2022. Anyone phasing out nuclear energy can hardly end coal use at the same time. Beyond 2022, a further shift of focus in favour of renewable energy is quite possible in Germany. This is only likely to be sensible and affordable if it is done within an international context and if expansion is cost-optirnised. This means a global climate treaty to regulate CO2 emissions, and a European-wide system to subsidise power generation from renewable energy. Further expanding the use of renewables over the 2030/2040 time horizon calls for dependable partners alongside the unreliable supplies from wind and solar. Domestic lignite can make an important contribution here. lignite is securely available and at prices that are predictable in the long term. Opencast mines are large energy stores. lignite is our nearest energy with maximum security of supply. lignite-based power plants can meet varying load requirements. Here, lignite competes mainly with hard coal and natural gas. In this competition, lignite can hold its own when assumptions on CO2 and energy prices are plausible. Now and for decades to come, lignite and renewables are not opposites, but truly complementary.
