Dry fountains, cold pools, less beer? The Germans are advancing in energy saving

AUGSBURG, Germany – Wolfgang Hübschle entered the city government expecting a simple life, planning things like traditional parties full of leather pants.

Instead, it has the unpopular task of calculating these days what a traffic light to turn offhow to lower temperatures in offices and swimming pools, and perhaps, for that matter, unplug from beloved but energy-hungry Bavarian breweries.

City officials such as Hübschle, economic adviser to the Bavarian provincial city of Augsburg, have been sitting at the forefront of a geopolitical struggle with Russia since European Union leaders decided this week to try to reduce natural gas consumption in 15%for fear that the Russian president Vladimir Putin it could cut exports in retaliation for Europe’s support for Ukraine.

Nowhere is this fear deeper than in Germany, the largest European consumer of Russian gas.

With more than half of its gas supply coming from Moscow prior to the invasion of Ukraine in February, low-cost Russian gas was a mainstay of powerful German industry.

The referees also planned to double the bet with a second pipeline from Russia, until the war forced the suspension of the project.

Augusta is now among the places leading a conservation effort that is growing state by state, as some German cities offer financial incentives to reduce gas consumption, while others obscure the lanterns.

But such efforts already extend far beyond Germany.

Across Europe, countries and cities are finding different ways of doing this help citizens to reduce energy consumption.

Barcelona offers home efficiency ratings, while warsawPoland, subsidizes families who replace fossil fuel stoves with heat pumps.

In the Meurthe-et-Moselle region, east of Francea dozen cities put out their lanterns at midnight.

It’s all an effort to get past Putin, whose mind is trying to read Hübschle, a curious thing for a local official.

Even if Europe is only “can be repaired“With the current reduced gas deliveries, Hübschle thinks he can dissuade Russia from trying to stop supplies this winter.

“If Putin has the impression that he can really damage the economy of the major European countries, he will not hesitate to cut gas supplies,” he said.

“If it doesn’t hurt too much, he’ll choose take money rather than inflicting pain. “

While not binding, for now, the EU consumption targets have sent a clear signal not only of Europe’s determination to stand up to Putin, but also of real concern that European economies are at risk, especially if Germany , the continent’s economic powerhouse, takes a hit.

Kremlin-controlled Gazprom highlighted the threat this week when it stopped flows through Nord Stream 1 in Germany to only 20%quoting, unconvincingly for many, problems with your turbines German made.

About half of all homes in Germany are gas heated, while the industry uses a third of the country’s gas.

If next winter is particularly cold, a cut would be brutal.

But the future climate is difficult to predict, as are Moscow’s ultimate intentions.

Economists are also struggling to gauge whether a closure could leave Germany in the face of a 3% or 20% recession.

“If our smartest economists are clueless and admit it, how could I?” Hubschle said.

With energy prices soaring, Augusta was already facing an 80% increase in costs, to around 11 million euros.

Officials are concerned to avoid passing these costs on to residents.

Augusta Mayor Eva Weber has ordered the closure of many of the city’s fountains and limited the operating hours of three fountains connected to the city’s 800-year-old water management system, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city’s initiatives came after months of solicitations from German economy minister Robert Habeck, who took painful steps for a green politician, including reopening of coal plants to replace those that burn gas and the rapid expansion of liquefied gas energy infrastructure along with securing contracts for deliveries from Qatar and the United States.

In a recent social media post, Habeck urged people to change their daily habits as part of the effort to reach the country’s goal of save 20%.

“If you think, okay, change the shower head, defrost the freezer or turn off the heat, none of that makes a difference, you’re kidding yourself,” Habeck said.

“It’s an excuse to do nothing.”

Some officials have expressed concern that the government is fueling panic.

And some hope the incentives encourage careful use of energy.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised to increase subsidies for housing and protect tenants eviction for unpaid heating bill.

This week, Munich announced a “energy bonus”Of 100 euros for households who reduce their annual consumption by 20% and their utility company launched an energy saving competition for customers this fall.

The Germans seem to respond.

The Federal Energy and Water Association said the country was using it almost 15% less gas compared to the same period last year, a trend he attributed in part to record energy prices.

Costs will further increase in early October when the government introduces a gas supplement.

In response, wood stoves and ovens are running out in many cities and there is a long wait for heating units. mini solar panels power some household devices.

Claudia Kemfert, an energy economist at the German Institute for Economic Research, said such savings are key, but fears the country has lost several months appeal to citizens instead of taking stronger measures with companies.

Companies have shown that they can reduce their gas consumption when they have no other choice.

Carmaker Mercedes-Benz said on Wednesday it had reduced gasoline consumption by 10% and could reduce up to 50% maintaining full operation.

“There is a lot we can achieve through market-based approaches. We should exhaust every option we have on that front so that we can avoid an emergency situation, ”Kemfert said.

City officials say they will have no way of understanding how much their efforts can help until they have more data.

In Monkthe capital of the southern state of Bavaria and the epicenter of German industry, Deputy Mayor Katrin Habenschaden is skeptical.

“Honestly, I don’t think this can be compensated for, as much as I appreciate it through our efforts now to save energy.” she said.

“Rather, I think we just need other options or other solutions.”

As a sub-manager of economic affairs management, he helped the city with a kind of economic evaluation:

assess what type of rationing different companies might face.

Businesses, large and small, court the city to explain why they should be forgiven.

Bavaria is of particular concern because it is home to companies that are the engines of German industry, such as BMW and Siemens.

The conservative regional government’s reluctance to challenge its heavy dependence on gas and increase renewables has also made it particularly vulnerable, said Habenschaden, a green.

In Augsburg and Munich, local officials asked all city employees to submit their suggestions.

An Augusta official noted that the city’s two data centers accounted for enormous energy consumption.

They are now considering whether they can be trusted on only one.

More quietly, many local leaders are pondering which energy-hungry German traditions should be cut short if the country were forced to ration power:

to make beer? Christmas markets?

Hübschle said he thinks Bavaria should close its famous breweries before allowing its chemical industry to cope with the gas shortage.

Meanwhile, Rosi Steinberger, a member of the Bavarian regional parliament, is now working in a dark office to cut down on her consumption and is debating whether to draw Munich’s inevitable ire by suggesting that she cancel her famous. Oktoberfest.

The return is expected this fall after a two-year hiatus from the pandemic.

“I haven’t asked yet,” he said, with a nervous laugh.

“But I also think that when people say there shouldn’t be taboos about what we consider, well, that’s what you have to think about.”

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