Germans largely satisfied with Energiewende measures but lament cost distribution – study

Most Germans are satisfied with the goals of the Energiewende and the measures taken to achieve them - but say that cost distribution is among the project’s greatest shortcomings, two different studies by the University of Kassel have found. People especially back the support of renewable energies and Germany’s nuclear exit, and most respondents said they expected energy prices to rise regardless of the energy transition’s progress, the university says in a press release. Regarding the Energiewende’s funding, most respondents say costs are not distributed fairly but also agree that the current principle of letting emitters pay proportionally to their greenhouse gas output is better than other funding principles, such as a flat rate or payments proportional to income. “This shows that economic self-interest plays a dominant role in agreeing to or rejecting certain rules of burden sharing,” says economist Andreas Ziegler. The argument that energy transition costs are distributed unfairly often was due to strategic considerations rather than to values, he argues.

Find the press release in German here.

See the CLEW factsheet on Citizens’ support for the Energiewende for more information.