"The promotion of renewable energy has led to substantial displacement effects on employment in the conventional energy production sectors, as well as in downstream industries that are particularly energy-intensive,"
Last spring, Chancellor Angela Merkel set Germany on course to eliminate nuclear power in favour of renewable energy sources. Now, though, several industries are suffering as electricity prices rapidly rise. Many companies are having to close factories or move abroad. Berlin's energy policy affects all classic industrial sectors, from the steel and aluminium industry to paper and cement manufacturers, as well as the chemical industry. The metal industry, long an important sector in Germany, is already migrating to countries with cheaper electricity. --Frank Dohmen and Alexander Neubacher, Spiegel Online, 24 February 2012
