Wiesbaden (dpa/lhe) – According to an industry survey, almost half of the Hessian companies fear for their competitiveness due to the high gas and electricity prices. According to the Hessian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (HIHK) in Wiesbaden, this is the result of a preliminary evaluation of the energy transition barometer. According to this, about every fourth company is deferring planned investments in value creation or climate protection. More than 350 companies took part in the survey.
According to a statement on Thursday, HIHK Vice President Christian Gastl called the results “worrying”. They made it clear that reliable and affordable energy is the basis for successful business and investments in climate protection.
“In recent years, the German economy has already made great efforts to save on gas and oil consumption,” explained Jörg Ludwig Jordan, President of the Kassel-Marburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Therefore, in the crisis, there is not much scope to save in the production processes.” A relevant lever is the temporary reduction in temperature in the operating rooms, which is certainly possible in many places in consultation with the workforce.