Germany must speed up energy transition for climate protection, prosperity: Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Friday that the country should speed up the transition to green energy both for climate protection and more prosperity.

Speaking to reporters in Berlin, after a meeting with business and trade union leaders, Scholz underlined that Germany has ambitious goals, and it is aiming to generate 80% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

"We have to speed things up. We have big plans. That means each day we must build four to five wind turbine, solar panels equivalent of 43 soccer field, we must install around 1,600 heat pumps, and construct four kilometers (2.5 miles) of transmission networks," he said.

Scholz said Germany has to achieve energy transition for climate neutrality, but also for generating secure and affordable energy for households.

"We assume that by 2030 we will need an additional 300,000 to 500,000 skilled workers for the professions that are crucial to the energy transition. Such jobs are attractive and offer a variety of opportunities," he also said.

The German government is planning to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65% by 2030 and reach climate neutrality by 2045 at the latest.