Meyer Burger closes plant in Bitterfeld – employees in fear!

Meyer Burger closes plant in Bitterfeld – employees in fear!

Things are looking bleak in Bitterfeld: The Meyer Burger Technologies AG location has to close after all efforts to find an investor failed. At the beginning of June, the Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of Economic Affairs announced that the closure could no longer be averted. Around 300 employees have been on short-time work since May and are waiting for a solution. IG Metall is calling for a rethink in politics in order to avoid such unfortunate situations in the future.

The union emphasizes how important it is to promote key sectors in a sustainable manner. At a time when questions about the energy transition and technological independence are becoming ever louder, the focus is on whether Germany and Europe will remain as actors in the energy transition or whether they will only act as consumers of foreign technologies. The former employees of Meyer Burger in particular should no longer suffer from a combination of corporate mismanagement and political passivity.

Looking back at the solar industry

The situation in Bitterfeld is only part of the bigger picture. In the 2000s, the German solar industry flourished, supported by the Renewable Energy Act (EEG). By 2011, over 150,000 people were employed in the industry. But growth has been decreasing since around 2010, most recently falling sharply between 2012 and 2015. Companies such as Bosch Solar, Q-Cells and many more had to close, resulting in the loss of around 100,000 jobs. The Chinese competition took over the world market and now produces 90% of all solar modules.

One thing is particularly clear in the current discussion: despite the challenges, there is hope. Meyer Burger has taken over closed solar factories and is starting to produce solar cells again. As a result, former employees find new opportunities. This paves the way back to regional strength to some extent.

Current developments in the sector

Economics and Energy Minister Habeck has set the goal of increasing the total solar power output from 60 to 215 gigawatts by 2030. If you look at the numbers, only 4 gigawatts of power was added in 2021 - far too slow compared to the 8 gigawatts ten years ago. The savings in production have pushed the prices for solar power down to an attractive level: self-consumption is just 4-6 cents per kilowatt hour.

The use of renewable energy is essential for the future. In 2023, around 276,000 people were employed in the renewable energy sector. This shows a slight recovery after a difficult decade in which production relocations and political uncertainties put many jobs at risk. The expansion of this industry is not only important for climate protection, but also for creating and securing jobs.

In this context, IG Metall is calling for fair competition conditions and binding commitments for locations so that the domestic industry is not left behind. All federal states in the east must work together to promote a sustainable and future-proof industry in Germany. The fact that there is a lot of potential in renewable energy shows the need to act urgently.

A look at the solar industry shows that it is time to take care of your own house facade. Only together can we prevent the ruble and yuan from continuing to rule the roost in the future while we as consumers remain on the sidelines. The future must not lag behind the past - the energy transition begins now!