Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is circulating a non-paper that proposes letting nuclear power and gas plants with carbon capture count toward renewable electricity targets under the EU Renewable Energy Directive. The same document reportedly questions the green hydrogen target for industry, which could soften demand signals for electrolyzers and hydrogen offtake deals. The proposal matters beyond semantics. If Brussels and Berlin accept this accounting, member states could meet renewable goals without adding new wind or solar. It also opens a debate about whether the directive should reward low-carbon generation or only new renewable capacity. The full paper is behind a paywall, but the public summary already signals a shift in German EU climate policy.
