Heat pumps, photovoltaics: 13 million homes use energy transition technology
The number of households using new energy technology is growing. However, the number of people who consider the energy transition to be important has shrunk.
A heat pump in front of a detached house in Bremen.
(Image: heise online / anw)
At least one new, sustainable energy technology is used in 12.9 million households in Germany. According to a survey by KfW Research, this is around 31% of all households and 1.2 million or 2.9% more than a year ago. These technologies, which KfW Research refers to as "energy transition technologies", include heat pumps, solar thermal systems, battery storage, combined heat and power (CHP), wood pellet heating systems, electric cars and photovoltaic systems.
15 percent of households now have a PV system, compared to around 12 percent in the previous year. PV systems such as balcony power plants are therefore particularly widespread. The proportion of households with battery storage rose from 3.7% to 6.7%, according to a survey of over 6,000 households . 30 percent of PV system users have a battery storage system. A year ago, the figure was 18 percent.
9.1 percent of households have solar thermal systems and 6.4 percent each have a heat pump or wood pellet heating system. Around 6% of households intend to purchase at least one new energy technology in the next twelve months. The proportion of participants in the energy transition is lowest in large cities. There are many tenants and fewer homeowners here than in rural areas. People in the city are therefore more often dependent on the consent of landlords or co-owners.
Southern Germany ahead, eastern Germany behind
There are a particularly large number of households that already use this type of technology in southern Germany (41%), while there are particularly few in eastern Germany (24%). "However, the figures are rising in all regions of the country," adds KfW Research. This is despite the fact that approval of the energy transition has declined. A year ago, 88% of respondents considered the energy transition to be important; now it is 82%. The willingness to participate themselves fell from 68 to 60 percent.
When making investment decisions, the respondents clearly focus on their own economic benefits. Cost savings are the most frequently cited reason for purchasing energy transition technologies. Climate protection is only in second place, ahead of the desire to become more independent of the energy supplier.
The most common obstacle to purchasing new energy technology was cited by 41 percent as a lack of funds. 37 percent doubt the profitability of the investment in question. Other reasons include a lack of tradespeople or a lack of time to deal with the complex matter.
KfW Research has been compiling its Energy Transition Barometer every year since 2018. For the first time, 6,000 households were surveyed instead of the previous 4,000, selected via a representative random sample.
(anw)
