Energy transition 2025: a system under pressure

Briefing

The energy transition is no longer just a project to expand renewable energies; the entire system is being called into question. The new monitoring report by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) entitled “Energy Transition. Efficient. Action.” offers the first consolidated overview of the status of the transformation, beyond political declarations of intent. The central message indicates that Germany is at a tipping point in the energy transition. Although renewable energies now account for almost 60% of electricity consumption, structural problems lie behind the figures. The report analyses progress but bluntly exposes weaknesses and calls for a change of course, away from individual measures and towards a comprehensively controlled system.

Three core underlying problems

Expansion is lagging behind demand. The biggest problem is the lack of synchronisation. The expansion of wind and solar energy is progressing, but the infrastructure cannot keep up. Electricity grids, storage solutions and flexible consumption structures are either non-existent or are being developed too slowly. This results in generation without utilisation and high economic costs.
Focus on generation instead of system control. The report criticises the fact that political control of the energy transition has so far been too focused on expanding capacity. Distribution networks, storage and flexible demand have been neglected. The controllability of the overall system is increasingly at stake. The higher the share of fluctuating energies, the more critical this gap becomes.
Misguided incentives, complexity, loss of trust. Some subsidy structures are outdated and do not always favour the most efficient technologies. At the same time, there is a lack of reliable price signals to make investments in flexibility, grid and storage technology attractive. The monitoring report warns that without system efficiency, acceptance among businesses and the public is likely to decline further.

A new course of ten key measures for the next phase

In response to the report, the BMWE proposes ten key measures (link). They mark a strategic reorientation and define how the energy transition should be designed in future to be economically viable, technologically robust and market oriented.

Moving away from individual disciplines towards a systems approach: a technology-neutral capacity market is planned to guarantee security of supply even during periods of low wind and low sunlight. New market mechanisms are to reward flexibility and steer investment. At the same time, the aim is to streamline regulation and review existing subsidy logic.
Digitalisation and flexibility are coming into focus: load management, smart grids, storage and sector coupling will be considered basic prerequisites for a stable system in the future. Politicians are encouraging innovation whilst CO₂ capture (CCS/CCU) and hydrogen are also to be actively integrated into the future energy architecture.
Economic efficiency is no longer a side issue: the energy transition is explicitly understood as an economic policy project. Inefficient subsidies are to be phased out and investment incentives designed more systematically. The report emphasises that the energy transition will only remain socially acceptable if it is also economically viable.

Implications for businesses: what matters now

For companies, especially energy-intensive consumers, a new phase of the energy transition is beginning. The political focus on system efficiency and market integration brings new opportunities, but also new requirements.

Flexibility is becoming a core competence: those who can dynamically control their electricity consumption or provide flexible capacities will be able to profit in new markets in the future, for example in the planned capacity market or by participating in balancing energy markets.
Efficiency is being redefined: it is no longer enough to simply use renewable energies. Companies that are already investing in storage solutions, sector coupling or optimised use of their own electricity are gaining long-term competitive advantages, including through potential access to subsidies.
Strategic monitoring is essential: The announced regulatory reforms, from the revision of the subsidy structure to the introduction of new market models, will also affect existing business models. Companies should closely monitor regulatory developments and position themselves early on.

Conclusion: The energy transition is becoming a system test and an economic opportunity

The monitoring report is more than just a review. It is a wake-up call: without strategic realignment, the energy transition risks failing due to its own complexity. The proposed measures focus on reason rather than ideology, on technological openness rather than dogmatism, and on systems thinking rather than isolated politics. For companies, this means that the rules of the game are changing. Those who invest now in intelligent, flexible and marketable solutions are setting the course for competitiveness in the energy system of the future. The energy transition is not a sure-fire success but an evolving task, the success of which depends on entrepreneurial initiative.

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