Homeowners are driving Germany's energy transition across party lines - survey

German homeowners of all political persuasion are willing to invest in photovoltaic systems, heat pumps and electric cars, according to a new survey conducted by the Allensbach Institute on behalf of the Climate Neutral Germany Initiative (IKND). While the energy transition if often seen as a politically divisive issue, the survey found that photovoltaic (PV) systems are the most popular energy transition technology among German homeowners of all political stripes, from supporters of the Green Party to the right-wing AfD.

The survey of some 2,000 homeowners residing in their property showed that almost two-thirds already have a PV system or plan to purchase one in the next five years. "The use of climate-friendly technologies in private homes is now widespread, and further significant potential can be identified," said Allensbach Institute project manager Steffen de Sombre. “It is noteworthy that usage and purchase plans are barely correlated with political convictions: Even the majority of AfD voters among homeowners use or plan to use PV systems. Almost one in three AfD voters surveyed owns an electric car or is planning to purchase one."

The survey also showed that willingness to invest is high, but strongly depends on income. Among low-income respondents, 81 percent report needing government assistance to purchase a heat pump, while among those earning between 2,500 and 5,000 euros per month, the figure is 60 percent.

In Germany, 80 percent of residential buildings are single- or two-family homes, and about half of German households live in such buildings. Three-quarters of the homeowners surveyed said that they live in rural areas or small towns. According to another survey published earlier this year, around two-thirds of homeowners in Germany plan to have a solar power system installed by 2029.