One third of German households have invested in energy transition technologies - survey

A total of 12.9 million households in Germany - almost one in three - use at least one energy transition technology like solar panels, a heat pump, or an electric car, according to a survey by state investment bank KfW. Solar panels take the top spot at around 15 percent of households, a jump of 3 percentage points from the previous year, according to the report, which looked at 6,000 households across Germany in the period between December 2023 and April 2024. KfW also found geographical differences, with 41 percent of households in southern Germany and 24 percent in eastern Germany using energy transition technologies. Across every region in Germany, however, the number of households with such technologies is increasing.

The trend in attitudes appears to be going in the other direction. Around 82 percent of households said they consider the energy transition important or very important, a drop of 6 percentage points in comparison to the previous year. “The declining figures indicate a degree of uncertainty among the population. However, there is still an overwhelming majority that views the energy transition positively,” said Daniel Römer, senior economist at KfW Research and co-author of the report. Those who invested in climate friendly technologies in their homes were mostly driven by financial benefits, rather than a concern about the environment, the report found. In the same vein, financial restrictions are also the biggest obstacle for the 41 percent of households who are open to energy transition technologies but can’t afford them.

A different report published by KfW last month found that one in seven German households makes sustainable investments. Another report published in April by DIW Econ came to the conclusion that a full energy transition in German households would save costs over a 25 year period.