Energiewende – an Herculean task

The Hercules-to-GDP ratio

In economic terms, we are currently deploying 4000 TWh of primary energy to generate total GDP of € 2600 billion. In other words, it takes 1.5 kWh of primary energy to generate € 1 of GDP.

With increasing prosperity, Germany’s GDP is likely to reach € 3000 billion in 30 years, but by then, our total final energy consumption will amount to just 1000 TWh. It will then take just 0.3 kWh to generate € 1 of GDP.

This factor 5 can be regarded as an insurance policy against hard-to-calculate increases in primary energy prices in future. It gives Germany additional financial security compared with the rest of the world – and its potential is likely to be recognised by many other countries within the next few years.