Reiches geheime Arbeit für RWE, E.ON und die Gasindustrie

Greenpeace’s Criticism of Germany’s Energy Policy

Greenpeace argues that German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche is shifting energy policy away from climate protection and toward continued reliance on gas. Its analysis draws on hundreds of internal ministry documents obtained under Germany’s Environmental Information Act.

Key Findings and Claims

• Reiche’s industry ties: Before becoming minister in May 2025, Reiche led Westenergie, an E.ON subsidiary whose network includes 38,000 kilometres of gas pipelines. Greenpeace describes her move into government as a “revolving door” risk. It also recalls her earlier role in solar-sector policy changes associated with a sharp decline in German solar installations and job losses.
• Changes to an expert report: Greenpeace says the ministry altered the University of Cologne’s energy-monitoring report in at least 28 places before publication. It points to changes that, in its view, cast doubt on constraints to building gas plants, removed a prominent reference to the 2030 renewable-electricity target, and raised cost assumptions for the energy transition. Greenpeace says the ministry’s reported statement to parliament that the report was published unchanged conflicts with the email record it obtained.
• A plan resembling industry proposals: Greenpeace says Reiche’s ten-point energy plan closely resembles a position paper from RWE and E.ON. It also reports that ministry specialists had limited involvement in drafting the plan.
• Internal evidence on grid readiness: The video contrasts Reiche’s public criticism of the pace and cost of the energy transition with internal ministry assessments. Greenpeace says only one of 51 processes in the grid-stability roadmap had been completed, and just two of 18 milestones had been met. It argues that delays in grids and implementation—not excessive renewable expansion—are the central problem.
• More support for gas and fossil-based technologies: The video criticises plans for up to 20 gigawatts of new gas-fired capacity, saying alternatives such as large-scale batteries were not adequately considered. It also objects to making “blue” hydrogen, produced from fossil gas, eligible for support and to proposed subsidies for carbon capture and storage.
• Changes to heating rules: Greenpeace says the planned reform of the building-energy law would again permit new oil and gas heating systems and remove the 65% renewable-energy requirement. Citing an Öko-Institut estimate, it says this could add 5–8 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and create a cumulative emissions gap of up to 172 million tonnes by 2040.
• Trouble inside the ministry: The video reports senior staff departures and replacements, searches of email accounts belonging to 27 employees during a search for leaks, and plans to outsource substantial work to consultants. It says the outsourcing could amount to at least 9,000 hours and €2 million per year.

Greenpeace’s Conclusion

Greenpeace concludes that Reiche’s policies extend fossil-fuel business models and slow the shift to renewables, despite climate targets and, it says, recommendations from an independent expert commission. These are the video’s claims and interpretations, based on the documents it describes.

Presenters and Contributors

The on-screen narrator is not identified in the subtitles. Research contributors are Karsten Smid and Sophia van Vügt. Other people cited or quoted include journalist Malte Kreuzfeld, energy expert Dr. Tim Meyer, and Vattenfall Germany head Robert Zurawski.