According to the authors of the newly released report, the next phase of Germany’s shift to clean power, dubbed ‘Energy Transition 2.0,’ will no longer focus solely on environmental targets. Instead, the country is moving toward a more balanced model that places the reliability and cost of the energy supply on the same level of importance as fighting climate change.
The report states that “the energy transition will have to serve a triad of equally important objectives, placing reliability of supply and affordability on an equal footing with climate neutrality.” It further notes that while the “fundamental paradigm of ‘energy transition’ is very much intact,” the successes of the movement must now be “measured more holistically.”
In simpler terms, Germany is expanding its definition of success. Previously, the main goal was simply to increase the percentage of renewable energy used each year, but the new approach recognizes that a green power system is only effective if it is also dependable and cheap enough for businesses and households to afford. This means the government will now focus as much on keeping the power grid stable and energy prices competitive as it does on reducing carbon emissions.
The report ‘Shaping 2026: Energy · Infrastructure · Transport’ was published by the international law firm Watson Farley & Williams in Germany in January 2026. Prepared by a senior team led by Dr. Christian Finnern, Dr. Malte Jordan, and Dr. Christian Bauer, the study provides a comprehensive roadmap for navigating the country’s shifting regulatory and investment landscape.
