Germany’s coal phase-out and the continued rollout of renewables will only have “very little” impact on electricity prices, according to a study by energy think tank Agora Energiewende. Whereas household customers will have to pay 0.4 euro cents more per kilowatt-hour in 2030, energy-intensive industry stands to benefit from the coal exit proposal agreed earlier this year. Agora found that renewables would lower wholesale prices by approximately 0.5 euro cents after comparing two scenarios, one in which coal-fired generation is reduced in line with the coal commission proposal, and a “business as usual” scenario without the coal exit or additional renewables expansion.

“The rapid expansion of renewables would thus protect energy-intensive industries from high electricity prices,” said Agora director Patrick Graichen, according to CLEW.

The study also found that Germany would remain a net exporter of electricity even if renewables were expanded to cover 65 percent of power generation.