Klimaziele und Wachstum vereinbaren: Bedeutung der Energieproduktivität

Energy productivity in Germany has risen in recent years. To what extent does this indicate a transformation of the energy system and production? This paper shows that the rise in energy productivity is only partly attributable to efficiency gains within sectors, but is also driven by structural change and the decline in energy-intensive production. A projection of final energy demand until 2030 suggests that policy targets may be met under weak economic growth. However, stronger growth would lead to a substantial overshooting of these targets. This reveals a fundamental trade-off between reducing energy consumption and maintaining economic growth, which is difficult to resolve without additional efficiency gains or technological progress.