Germans want to take active part in energy transition – survey

Most households in Germany "not only support the energy transition but even want to take active part in it", said government-owned business and development bank KfW, based on survey results in its so-called "Energy Transition Barometer 2019". More than 60 percent of German households want to increase their use of energy from renewable sources or even produce it themselves, showed the survey. Every fourth household also said it planned to drive an electric car in 10 years. Today, only one percent of German households have a hybrid or electric car. KfW predicts a "breakthrough for electro mobility" by 2030. More than 20 percent of households already owned at least one energy transition technology, such as solar PV systems, battery storages, heat pumps or electric cars, showed the survey of about 4,000 households. This number varied a lot among rural areas (almost 40 %) and big cities (10 %). Based on the survey results, KfW recommends creating knowledge networks on the energy transition in cities and expanding charging points for e-cars at home and at the workplace.

The German public remains strongly in support of the transition to a low-carbon and nuclear-free economy and climate action, as polls throughout the years have shown. German private households account for about 70 percent of the direct greenhouse gas emissions in the buildings sector and more than 60 percent in the transport sector, states KfW's energy transition barometer.