{"id":441633,"date":"2026-04-27T12:08:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T19:08:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=441633"},"modified":"2026-04-27T12:08:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T19:08:38","slug":"european-energy-policy-full-speed-towards-the-wall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=441633","title":{"rendered":"European energy policy: full speed towards the wall"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From Watts Up With That?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From CLINTEL<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evert Doornhof<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The signals in Europe are crystal clear. Energy prices are structurally higher than in the United States; the electricity grid is grinding to a halt; industry is leaving Europe; and dependence on imports is growing. These are not isolated incidents. This is how the system works. And yet, one message is echoing from Brussels and The Hague: let\u2019s accelerate the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
European energy prices are structurally much higher than in the US, a direct consequence of policy choices.
Source: European Commission (Draghi Report, 2024), based on Eurostat, EIA and CEIC data (adaptation).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is not bad luck, but policy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, Europe has deliberately chosen to:
\u2022 Close nuclear power plants
\u2022 Phase out domestic gas production
\u2022 Replace reliable energy sources with weather-dependent alternatives<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is not a technical development, but a political choice. The choice is based on the assumption that there is a climate crisis requiring rapid and drastic measures. But that assumption is by no means certain \u2014 and is rarely seriously questioned. Our World Climate Declaration<\/a> (WCD) \u2014 now signed by 2,062 experts \u2014 states explicitly that there is no climate crisis that justifies this policy. And so the need for a hasty energy transition disappears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

France vs Germany: the difference between theory and practice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Within Europe, the evidence is clear. France opted for nuclear energy, with the following consequences: approximately 70% of electricity is generated by nuclear power plants; there is a stable, predictable system, and there are low CO2 emissions per kWh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Germany, on the other hand, chose the Energiewende<\/em>, in which nuclear power plants have been closed, hundreds of billions have been invested in wind and solar, energy prices are higher than in France, and, ironically, CO2 emissions are higher than in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even within the logic of climate policy, the conclusion is inconvenient: Germany is performing worse than France, at much higher costs. This is not a subtle difference. It\u2019s a fundamental failure of policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Figure: CO\u2082 intensity of electricity in France and Germany (2017). France produces structurally cleaner and more stable electricity than Germany\u2014source: Environmental Progress, based on Fraunhofer ISE and RTE

Recent figures confirm that this difference still exists: France is around 20\u201330 g CO\u2082\/kWh, while Germany is around 300 g CO\u2082\/kWh (source: RTE France, Ember, Fraunhofer ISE).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Electricity prices reflect energy policy: German households pay approximately twice as much as French households. Source: Eurostat (2024).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The difference between France and Germany shows that energy policy actually matters. France opted for nuclear energy and has a stable system with low emissions and relatively moderate prices. Germany closed its nuclear power plants and invested hundreds of billions in wind and solar,<\/strong> and now faces<\/strong> higher prices, greater dependence on fossil fuels, and even higher CO2 emissions per kWh. Two countries, two choices, two outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What people prefer not to mention<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The downside of the energy transition remains remarkably underexposed in Europe. Examples include:
\u2022 Periods lasting weeks without sun and wind
\u2022 Fossil fuel backup remains necessary
\u2022 A dual infrastructure is therefore required
\u2022 There is enormous pressure on the electricity grid
\u2022 We remain dependent on raw materials and mining
\u2022 The degradation of the landscape and nature<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are not marginal issues. This is how the system works. But anyone who points this out, is quickly labelled as being \u201con the wrong side of the debate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fallacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Europe is trying to replace a stable energy system with an unstable one. And it thinks it can solve this by rolling it out even faster. That is not a strategy. It\u2019s stubbornness. As our director Marcel Crok states: \u201csustainable\u201d is not automatically a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The alternative<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, Clintel presented the World Climate Declaration to European leaders. The message was clear:
\u2022 There is no climate crisis
\u2022 and therefore no reason for panic policies
\u2022 Focus on reliable and affordable energy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it had taken this advice, Europe would probably have a more stable energy system today, with lower energy prices, fewer power grid problems, and, last but not least, a stronger industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, nuclear energy could have served as the backbone, while domestic gas could have served as a strategic buffer and renewable sources as a supplement rather than a foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The true cost is becoming apparent<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The gap with the United States is widening. After all, the US benefits from cheap energy, a strong industry and therefore higher economic growth. At the same time, Europe struggles with expensive energy, is losing its industry and lags economically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is reflected in the development of the gross domestic product in the US versus the EU. The energy price is a major factor in this. This is no coincidence. This is policy. And policy has consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cheap energy and policy make the difference \u2014 the US continues to grow, Europe lags. Source: IMF WEO (adaptation).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Europe\u2019s crisis is not that the energy transition isn\u2019t happening fast enough. Its crisis is that the entire policy is detached from the physical and economic reality. Yet in Brussels and in the European capitals politicians keep slamming the pedal to the floor, accelerating full speed towards the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A version of this article was previously published by theliberum.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evert Doornhof <\/strong>has long been active in the financial world in commercial and management roles. After the COVID pandemic, he changed course when he observed how quickly personal freedoms can be restricted. He is now committed to shedding light on crises that appear to be manufactured or exaggerated. Among other things, he is active with the Clintel Foundation<\/a>, where he manages social media and has written several articles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The signals in Europe are crystal clear. Energy prices are structurally higher than in the United States; the electricity grid is grinding to a halt; industry is leaving Europe; and dependence on imports is growing. These are not isolated incidents. This is how the system works. And yet, one message is echoing from Brussels and The Hague: let\u2019s accelerate the process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":441634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691829997,691827601,691819142,691819814,691818618,691818583,691819118,691818051,691818507,691819094],"class_list":["post-441633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-carbon-dioxide-co","tag-energiewende-energy-transition","tag-energy-policy","tag-energy-prices-2","tag-energy-transition","tag-europe","tag-france","tag-germany","tag-nuclear-energy","tag-renewable-green-energy","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/0Afbeelding-1-1200x800-1.webp?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1QT7","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":288307,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=288307","url_meta":{"origin":441633,"position":0},"title":"Green Bloodbath:\u00a0Electricity prices in Germany three times higher than in the USA","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/21\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0\u201cIf renewables are so gosh-darn cheap, why does Germany now have the highest electricity prices in Europe?\u201d\u00a0 In fact, the average cost of electricity is nearly 30 cents per kilowatt hour, almost three times higher in Germany than it is in the United States. 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