KfW Research
The KfW Energy Transition Barometer is a study conducted annually since 2018 on the basis of a survey of a random sample of some 4,000 representative households in Germany. Responses from each household were received from one household member of full age who takes decisions on household energy supply and consumption. The aim of the survey was to find out to what extent energy transition technologies are being used in the different households. The survey also covered any planned use in order to estimate in what areas the greatest growth was to be expected. Taken together, the surveyed data provide an overview of current sentiment and households’ participation in the energy transition in Germany.
Reducing energy consumption and using zero-emission technologies are key to achieving both climate neutrality and energy supply security. Households also need to play a role in this. The findings of the representative KfW Energy Transition Barometer 2023 are therefore encouraging as they demonstrate that households continue to back the energy transition project. Just under one third (32%) of all households are currently using technologies such as photovoltaic systems or heat pumps, 3 percentage points or 1.2 million households more than in the previous year. A further 7% plan to acquire such technologies this year. This increase is evident across almost all groups of society. The majority of households that do not use energy transition technologies (60%) can now imagine using them. In order to further advance the energy transition, it is now necessary to eliminate financial and logistical barriers to modernisation in a targeted manner.
“The findings of the KfW Energy Transition Barometer indicate that even when energy costs are high, people are very supportive of the energy transition and many want to be part of it. This is pivotal! Given that private households account for almost 40% of CO2 emissions in Germany, we need them to be on board if we are to achieve the transformation. Now it is a question of maintaining this positive attitude and acceptance – and encouraging even more households to take the necessary steps and invest.”
