Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) comes to an appointment in Berlin on a bicycle. Picture Alliance
Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) enjoys cycling – not only at home in Schleswig-Holstein or on summer tours during the election campaign, but also in everyday life in Berlin. And he obviously likes (or has to) drive fast. The minister revealed this on Wednesday evening in the TV talk show “Maischberger”.
Host Sandra Maischberger wanted to know from the Green Party’s most prominent politician when he last rode his bike. On Tuesday last week, Habeck remembered and reported: “If things are going well and I don’t have to make a phone call in the morning, which I usually do, I sometimes, usually, ride my bike to the ministry.” “And the guards have to get on the bike?” asked Maischberger. “They then ride their bikes alongside,” confirmed Habeck.
As Maischberger was about to move on to the next question, Habeck added with a smile: “But they’re pretty fast.” Maischberger picked up on that and said: “They’re faster.” To which Habeck replied: “They have e-bikes and I have to pedal properly – and then we’ll see who’s faster.”
Habeck: Additional coal-fired power plants will soon be taken off the grid
During the 45-minute conversation, Habeck and Maischberger repeatedly exchanged blows. Maischberger confronted Habeck with the fact that Germany had to bring additional climate-damaging coal-fired power plants online to replace the lack of gas instead of allowing nuclear power plants to continue running. Habeck announced that the reactivated coal-fired power plants would no longer be online next winter. “You promise that?” Maischberger asked several times. “That’s the plan,” replied Habeck. As soon as further planned liquid gas terminals are ready in 2024, “the infrastructure will be there and we will not need any additional coal-fired power plants,” said Habeck.
There are currently three floating terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in operation – in Wilhelmshaven, Lubmin in Western Pomerania and in Brunsbüttel. Three more LNG terminals in Wilhelmshaven, Stade and Rügen are to follow. But there is resistance there from environmentalists, from the population and also from local politics.
Habeck is looking forward to winter with confidence in terms of energy supply: “The gas storage facilities are very full. If nothing happens, we will get through the winter just fine.” However, Germany “still has to be careful”. Habeck pointed out the risks. The disruption of the Baltic Sea pipeline between Finland and Estonia and the strike in Australian liquefied natural gas terminals caused the price of gas to rise immediately. After Israel closed a gas field within the range of Hamas rockets, the price of gas increased further. The government has, among other things, “set up safety nets” with the coal-fired power plants, said Habeck. The plan is to replace this with gas and the expansion of renewable energy as soon as possible. Habeck didn’t allow Maischberger to “promise” that.
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With material from dpa
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