AGP Executive Report

Renewables Security: More than 8,500 internet-connected systems monitoring European wind and solar sites could expose infrastructure to cyberattacks. The findings underline a risk for Germany’s energy transition, though the report gives no German site total. Wind Power: Nordex booked 2.81 GW of turbine orders in the third quarter, up 29.5% year on year, with Germany among its leading markets. Orders signal future demand, not installed capacity. Energy Storage: Germany’s Intilion and China’s CATL are targeting up to 3 GWh of sodium-ion storage projects across Germany, Austria and Switzerland over five years; the goal is not yet a confirmed delivery commitment. Green Hydrogen: EWE and VERBUND plan a major hydrogen hub, while EWE is set to supply Hamburg-based tesa with 500 tonnes of green hydrogen annually to cut plant emissions. Environmental Rules: German Christian Democrats are pressing the EU for broad deregulation, including exemptions from environmental protections for defence.

EU Climate Policy: EU ministers have reaffirmed the 1.5°C goal and called for faster clean-energy deployment, despite expectations that warming will overshoot the target this year. Germany’s environment minister urged a united European front at the November climate summit. Food and Fisheries: A five-year investigation by German newspaper Die Zeit found that farmed salmon and prawns can rely on feed made from wild-caught fish, worsening pressure on fish stocks and raising concerns about food supplies, environmental damage and labour abuses. Germany imports more than 80% of its fish. Green Hydrogen: EWE plans to supply Hamburg-based tesa with 500 tonnes of green hydrogen annually to cut emissions at its plant. Energy Transition: German green-power workers have protested planned subsidy cuts, while divisions in the European Parliament over climate rules could open the way to weaker protections. Climate Risks: September 2026 was the world’s second-hottest on record, adding urgency to calls for stronger action.

Ukraine’s Clean Power: Germany pledged €44.7 million and Norway NOK 110 million to a price guarantee scheme for new Ukrainian wind and solar-plus-storage projects. The €300 million fund aims to support about 1GW of capacity, with its first auction expected by year-end. Wind and Nature: WindEurope says reopening the EU’s Birds and Habitats Directives risks delaying wind projects and weakening nature protection; it argues better-staffed permitting offices and digital tools can speed approvals without rewriting the rules. Germany’s Energy Shift: Green-power workers protested planned subsidy cuts, while EWE and Verbund are advancing a 500MW green-hydrogen plant with cavern storage. A separate analysis says deep-geothermal district heating could be 16% cheaper in Germany. Climate Accountability: Climate lawsuits are gaining ground as governments scale back action, while divisions in the European Parliament over climate rules could shape the next deal.

Renewables: Germany says it has built the world’s tallest wind turbine, while EWE and Verbund are launching a 500-megawatt green-hydrogen plant linked to underground storage. Energy Policy: Green-power workers are protesting planned subsidy cuts even as the government commits to phasing out fossil fuels by 2045. Climate Impacts: Western Europe endured its hottest summer on record, while drying rivers threaten energy supplies and trade; drought has also hit EU crop output. Climate Accountability: Brazilian prosecutors are seeking $108 million from Shell over deadly 2024 floods, as climate lawsuits gain ground amid policy pullbacks.

Climate Courts: Climate litigation is gaining ground as governments scale back action. Three international courts have affirmed states’ climate duties, while Australia’s top court blocked a coal-mine expansion this week. Green Hydrogen: EWE and Verbund plan a 500-megawatt electrolyser in Nordenham, Lower Saxony, aiming to produce 50,000 tonnes of green hydrogen a year by 2032. Renewables at Risk: German green-power workers rallied against planned subsidy cuts, while the transport minister called the EU’s combustion-engine ban a “big mistake”—signs of political pushback on the energy transition. Drought and Food: Brussels says drought has affected 2026 crop output, underscoring the pressure on European agriculture. Long-Term Policy: Germany has pledged to phase out fossil fuels by 2045, but disputes over renewable support and car rules will test delivery.

Renewables Policy: Thousands of German wind, solar and biogas workers protested in Berlin against proposed subsidy cuts, including ending support for smaller solar systems. The plans have also drawn criticism as the government backs new gas-fired power stations. Green Hydrogen: EWE and Verbund plan a 500-megawatt electrolyser in Lower Saxony, designed to produce 50,000 tonnes of green hydrogen a year by 2032, alongside cavern storage. Climate and Agriculture: The EU says this summer’s heat and drought sharply reduced crop yields: soya fell 15%, forage maize 14% and grain maize 8% on average, while livestock farmers face pressure from dwindling fodder. Energy Transition: Germany has pledged to phase out fossil fuels by 2045, even as disputes over renewables support and new gas capacity test how quickly that shift can proceed.

Drought and Energy: Europe’s major rivers, including the Rhine and Danube, hit record-low flows this summer, disrupting energy supplies and trade as western Europe endured its hottest summer on record. Baltic Sea: Germany is opposing plans for a large Polish oil platform near Usedom, with local officials warning a spill could damage the shared sea and coast. Renewables: German green-power workers rallied against proposed subsidy cuts, while Verbio began industrial production of rapeseed-based chemicals at its Bitterfeld plant. Climate at a Glance: French astronaut Sophie Adenot said climate change is “very visible from space” after returning from a record-long European stay in orbit.

Renewables: German wind-power workers protested planned subsidy cuts, warning that policy changes could slow projects as the government backs new gas plants. Experts say Germany risks missing its emissions goals. Winter Energy: European energy and gas groups warn of growing supply risks, while low storage levels could force a 7% cut in winter gas demand. Solar Security: Researchers found nearly 8,000 European solar systems exposed to the internet, raising concerns about cyberattacks on energy infrastructure. Mine Reclamation: Germany is turning abandoned coal mines into 23 lakes, creating what has been described as Europe’s largest artificial wetland.

Industrial Heat: The IEA says thermal energy storage could help electrify industry and cut EU gas demand by 35 billion cubic metres a year, using materials such as sand and bricks to store high-temperature heat. Gas Security: EU storage was 72.4% full on October 3, its lowest level for this point in autumn since 2011; analysts say the bloc may need to use 7% less gas this winter or spend about €3 billion on extra imports. German Energy: Deep-geothermal district heating is estimated to be 16% cheaper in Germany than alternatives, while German battery-storage owners are selling amid falling market revenues. Nature & Water: Germany is turning abandoned coal mines into 23 lakes, creating what is billed as Europe’s largest artificial wetland; the environment minister has also called for a rethink of water management. Clean-power Risks: Researchers report nearly 8,000 European solar systems exposed to internet attacks, underscoring security risks as renewables expand.

Water Stress: Exceptionally low Rhine levels brought commercial shipping near a halt in September, adding urgency to calls for Germany to rethink water management. Forever Chemicals: Industry groups are lobbying for broad exemptions as the EU prepares a proposed PFAS ban; the chemicals are linked to health risks and persist in the environment. Climate Spending: The EU says €287 billion from its recovery fund has been allocated to climate-related investment and reforms, with final payments due by year’s end. Fossil Fuels: Germany has committed to phasing out fossil fuels by 2045. Crop Protection: Researchers say a naturally occurring fungus found in wheat seeds may help fight a disease that can sharply reduce yields, potentially limiting reliance on chemical fungicides.

Fossil-Fuel Exit: Germany’s government has committed to phasing out fossil fuels by 2045. Renewables: Clean sources supplied 60% of German electricity in the first nine months of the year, while offshore wind marks 20 years in the country. Solar Waste: Germany could face 600,000 tonnes of discarded solar panels by 2030, sharpening the need to expand recycling alongside installations. Water Management: The environment minister is calling for a rethink as climate pressures intensify. Transport: Electric cars reached a record 34.5% of new registrations, another sign of the shift away from petrol and diesel.

Energy Transition: Germany has pledged to phase out fossil fuels by 2045, but high energy costs and grid bottlenecks remain hurdles. Berlin is also backing delays to EU methane rules, a move that could enable more carbon-intensive LNG imports. Renewables: Renewables supplied 60% of German electricity in the first nine months of the year. MaxSolar has secured about $173 million to support further projects, while a separate battery-storage startup aims to speed up planning. Nuclear Policy: Lower Saxony’s environment minister opposes producing nuclear fuel at the Lingen facility, keeping the question of domestic fuel production in the spotlight.

PFAS Fight in Brussels: EU lawmakers face a fresh push-and-pull over “forever chemicals,” with industry lobbying for exemptions ahead of a likely ban decision in early 2027, pending an ECHA report due by December. Glyphosate Under Scrutiny: UK officials updated on contested glyphosate use in school playgrounds, after a PAN UK sampling campaign reported traces of glyphosate and AMPA in multiple sites, reigniting safety and public-space herbicide debate. Renewables Finance: Germany’s MaxSolar secured €155m HoldCo debt from Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners to back solar and storage projects, while other funding rounds highlighted continued momentum in clean-energy buildout. Grid & Storage Buildout: Dutch BESS developer Giga Storage is advancing a major Germany battery project near the North Sea coast, aiming for grid connection via Amprion infrastructure. Climate & Water Risk Research: A global expert group convened on urban weather forecasting and early warnings as temperatures push toward higher extremes, with cities urged to prepare for escalating heat and hazards. Nature Protection in Planning: Wales faces opposition to a proposed housing site that could threaten a protected bat roost, showing how development plans collide with biodiversity safeguards.

Climate & Energy Diplomacy: The EU and India have finalised a “mother of all deals” free trade agreement that cuts tariffs on 97% of EU goods, but leaves sensitive areas like agriculture only partly liberalised—raising questions for how fast climate-linked trade effects will land. Grid & Renewables: A new IEA report says digital grid tech could unlock up to 330GW of capacity without major new lines, with Germany flagged as a major share of EU grid-connection congestion costs. German Security & Environment Link: Germany’s espionage and treason scandal adds to a wider backdrop of rising geopolitical risk that can disrupt energy and infrastructure planning. Black Sea Shipping Risk: Drone attacks in Bulgaria’s Black Sea zone sank one cargo vessel and damaged another, with authorities monitoring potential environmental pollution. Biodiversity & Land Use: Ghana, with German partners, launched a baobab mapping project to build a national geodatabase for conservation and sustainable use. Sustainable Mobility (Europe): European Sleeper expands overnight rail from Brussels to Como and Milan, betting on a greener alternative to short-haul flights. Water-Energy Innovation: A Brussels event will showcase “Water is the New Solar” aquathermal heating using rivers, lakes and canals.

Aviation & Climate Costs: A new German study finds more flights from Germany to Asia and Africa are routing via Istanbul and Gulf hubs, with non-EU connections gaining share as EU emissions charges raise costs for feeder flights to Frankfurt and Munich. Grid & Industry Decarbonisation: Germany’s steel sector warns electricity costs will jump if support for grid charges is reduced, and urges EU rules that back truly low-carbon steel via procurement and higher “green steel” shares in public projects. Water Security: Kabul is on track to run out of water by 2030, a warning echoed by other cities worldwide as climate-driven heat and drought collide with underfunded infrastructure. Protected Areas Governance: IUCN-backed work on grievance and redress mechanisms around protected areas, supported by Germany’s BMZ via GIZ, pushes rights-based conservation standards for Indigenous peoples and local communities. Renewables Finance: Amprion issues €1.5bn in green bonds to fund Germany’s transmission expansion and upgrades, targeting major grid investment through 2030. Cyber & Data Risks: ASOS is investigating after customers received app notifications claiming a “fully compromised” Snowflake instance, raising concerns about retailer data exposure.

Climate & Energy Policy: Germany is backing a €2 billion experiment to scale clean jet fuel (eSAF), even as critics note today’s costs are far above conventional jet fuel—raising the question of how fast “green aviation” can become bankable. AI & Power Demand: A new report warns Europe’s AI boom is colliding with energy limits and grid realities, while another study flags that enterprise AI plans also stall when network providers can’t be trusted to handle serious incidents. EU Regulation Watch: The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is nearing its December 2026 compliance start for larger firms, with further last-minute changes looking unlikely. Water & Industry: Germany’s water and infrastructure work continues to expand, including a major water restoration push backed by Amazon and Microsoft in Germany. Circular Economy: Germany is also dealing with the long tail of solar waste, with estimates of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of PV waste by 2030. Nuclear Legacy: New research is assessing decades-old European dumping of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste in the deep Atlantic and what it means for marine ecosystems.