"Lessons for U.S. Manufacturers from Germany's Deepening Manufacturing Downturn"

Germany's manufacturing powerhouse is facing rapid decline, particularly in its chemical and heavy industry sectors, due to skyrocketing energy costs driven by policies such as the net-zero energy policy and rapid move to variable renewables. This has led to job losses and economic contraction, with some industries looking to the U.S. for more favorable energy costs. However, the U.S. is also facing challenges with prematurely shutting down coal, gas, and nuclear power plants, despite warnings about potential consequences for energy reliability and affordability. The continuing bad news out of Germany may prompt U.S. manufacturers to reconsider the impact of energy policies on their operations.