30 E. GREALIS ET AL.
status quo, i.e. a growth-based economic system and the dominance of
efficient technological fixes in sustainability thinking, policy and practice.
This cannot be easily reconciled with the (more or less) radical change
agenda that underpins much sufficiency thinking, i.e. that less may in fact
be more (Grealis and Rau 2018).
Through open innovation workshops, the project design guide also
provided detailed and specific eco-design sufficiency recommendations
relating to the reduction (e.g. display and adjustability of cooling temperature, instead of an abstract scale in refrigerators and freezers), substitution (supporting the change in practices and routines towards energy
and resource conservation through innovative design of the appliances,
e.g. washing with low temperatures, measured laundry dosing), and
adjustment of appliances (e.g. equipment should be designed such that
functions and features only consume energy, when they are in use).
ConCLusion
While early progress has been made in the area of renewable electricity generation, Germany faces significant future challenges in this area.
Similarly, more sustained efforts are needed to achieve real reductions
in respect of other forms of energy consumption. While Federal policy
and legislation provide the overarching targets, the devolved and partially
fragmented nature of energy governance in Germany and its impact on
bottom-up actions by both local municipalities and civil society mean
the future rate of change for the energy transition is very uncertain.
Environmental consciousness and public support for the Energiewende
are generally rather high. However, transition measures which fail to
include citizens and local energy co-operatives may slow progress as
they are more likely to meet resistance from below, especially concerning both grid development and installation of renewable energy technology. Additionally, some aspects of German culture may clash with
efforts to achieve real reductions in energy consumption as part of the
Energiewende. In particular, Germany’s prevailing ‘car culture’ frequently
combines with a historically influential automobile industry to undermine or weaken efforts towards a Verkehrswende (sustainable transport
turn) that links closely with sustainable energy goals discussed in this
chapter. The recent heated public debate in Germany concerning proposals for a speed limit of 130 km per hour on all German highways
exemplifies this conflict. overall, this overview has shown the need for
status quo, i.e. a growth-based economic system and the dominance of
efficient technological fixes in sustainability thinking, policy and practice.
This cannot be easily reconciled with the (more or less) radical change
agenda that underpins much sufficiency thinking, i.e. that less may in fact
be more (Grealis and Rau 2018).
Through open innovation workshops, the project design guide also
provided detailed and specific eco-design sufficiency recommendations
relating to the reduction (e.g. display and adjustability of cooling temperature, instead of an abstract scale in refrigerators and freezers), substitution (supporting the change in practices and routines towards energy
and resource conservation through innovative design of the appliances,
e.g. washing with low temperatures, measured laundry dosing), and
adjustment of appliances (e.g. equipment should be designed such that
functions and features only consume energy, when they are in use).
ConCLusion
While early progress has been made in the area of renewable electricity generation, Germany faces significant future challenges in this area.
Similarly, more sustained efforts are needed to achieve real reductions
in respect of other forms of energy consumption. While Federal policy
and legislation provide the overarching targets, the devolved and partially
fragmented nature of energy governance in Germany and its impact on
bottom-up actions by both local municipalities and civil society mean
the future rate of change for the energy transition is very uncertain.
Environmental consciousness and public support for the Energiewende
are generally rather high. However, transition measures which fail to
include citizens and local energy co-operatives may slow progress as
they are more likely to meet resistance from below, especially concerning both grid development and installation of renewable energy technology. Additionally, some aspects of German culture may clash with
efforts to achieve real reductions in energy consumption as part of the
Energiewende. In particular, Germany’s prevailing ‘car culture’ frequently
combines with a historically influential automobile industry to undermine or weaken efforts towards a Verkehrswende (sustainable transport
turn) that links closely with sustainable energy goals discussed in this
chapter. The recent heated public debate in Germany concerning proposals for a speed limit of 130 km per hour on all German highways
exemplifies this conflict. overall, this overview has shown the need for