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SPREETAL/SPREMBERG (dpa-AFX) - Under the impression of the debate about an early coal phase-out and with federal funds for hydrogen technology, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck visited Lusatia. In the course of the far-reaching structural change, a model region of the energy turnaround is to be created there. At the Schwarze Pumpe industrial park on the Brandenburg-Saxony border, Habeck handed over the funding notice for a hydrogen storage power plant on Wednesday. He also visited Leag to find out about the ongoing transformation process at eastern Germany's largest energy company. One topic was not left out: Habeck's target of phasing out coal by 2030.

First, the federal minister handed over a grant of 28.5 million euros for a hydrogen storage power plant at the Schwarze Pumpe industrial park. It is to be built by 2025 and will be one of the "beacons" of structural change. Green hydrogen will be produced there using electricity from renewable energies. This can be used to store energy and make it available when needed.

People always like to debate about a phase-out, but it's all about a build-up, Habeck said. He praised the "unconditional will" of the project company to let something new emerge. The pilot project threatened to fail twice because of funding.

Brandenburg's Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD) called the pilot project a blueprint for the power plants of the future. Saxony's Minister of State for Regional Development Thomas Schmidt (CDU) sees it as a genuine cross-state project. The partners involved, the Brandenburg companies Energiequelle, Enertrag and the special-purpose association, want to tap new value-added potential for the region. Research partners are the Fraunhofer Institute IEG, the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg University and the TU Dresden.

In a letter, the district councils of Lusatia asked Habeck for support in restructuring the energy supply. Specifically, they are talking about a hydrogen pipeline from the Baltic Sea to the Czech border and from Görlitz via Dresden and Chemnitz to Leipzig. This must be included in the national hydrogen strategy, it was said.

The Federal Minister of Economics also visited the Schwarze Pumpe power plant. According to current legislation, the last shutdowns of coal-fired power plant units in Germany are scheduled for 2038 in Lusatia. But if Habeck has his way, they should be shut down as early as 2030, as in the Rhenish coalfield. Resistance has long been forming in Lusatia. Trainees and employees demonstrated in front of the power plant. They demanded that the consensus in society as a whole on phasing out coal should not be called into question.

After a discussion with Habeck, Leag CEO Thorsten Kramer also made it clear: the energy company is sticking to the legally stipulated coal phase-out in 2038, but at the same time wants to invest more in the expansion of renewable energies. The slogan is: "First expansion, then phase-out. We stand by this," said Kramer. The common goal is the conversion to renewable energies with simultaneous security of supply. Politicians have a duty to keep their promises and create reliable framework conditions.

Brandenburg's Minister President Dietmar Woidke said he was open to talks on an earlier coal phase-out under certain conditions. The energy supply must be reliable and affordable, but it is also about independence in energy supply to leave value creation in the state, the SPD politician told Welt TV and Deutsche Presse-Agentur on Wednesday. "I believe that the Federal Minister of Economics must also have this in focus."

Economics Minister Steinbach made it clear that in order to set a new phase-out year, reliable statements were needed on how a possible earlier phase-out of lignite would affect recultivation, reclamation and mining planning. However, there is still no updated information on this, the minister says in the direction of the federal government. And refers to changed framework conditions due to the Ukraine war, energy crisis and water shortage.

Habeck praised the "breathtaking change" at Leag and its restructuring. Negotiations on an early coal phase-out, however, would be conducted elsewhere. Criticism came from the environmental network Grüne Liga, among others. Spokesman René Schuster pointed out that an earlier coal phase-out was necessary and did not need Leag's approval./na/DP/mis