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Martin Greive and Daniel Wetzel at Germany’s center-right national daily Die Welt have a commentary on renewable energy, telling readers that it will hit the poor in Germany the hardest.

They write that the Energiewende (transition to renewable energy) will result in 540 euros in extra costs for each German household in 2016.

And things are going to get much worse, they warn, adding:

Economic experts believe that extra costs will be 100 billion euros over the next ten years.”

The figures were calculated by the Cologne-based Institute of German Economy (IW Cologne). The costs stem from the 6.35 cents/kwhr feed-in surcharge consumers are forced to pay for green energy, power grid costs, and other charges. Greive and Wetzel also write that the long technical delays dogging North Sea wind parks is causing additional costs for consumers to the tune of 17 euros.

The flagship daily quotes IW Cologne energy expert Esther Chrischilles, who points out that the costs are especially hitting the poor:

Most of the costs a politically dubious with respect to wealth redistribution.”

The Die Welt journalists write that in total the added costs will amount to 100 billion euros for companies and private households over the next ten years, according to Eric Schweitzer, President of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry DIHK).

Michael Fuchs of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat Union (CDU) party says, “I ask myself how consumers are supposed to handle this.”

German Vice Chancellor and Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel is coming under increasing fire for failing to get the electricity costs under control and failing to reform Germany’s crushing EEG feed-in act.