The German energy transition - Review of 20 years of political choices. Policy Paper No. 270, September 2021

At the heart of the European Union, Germany plays a key role in the energy transition. In 2000, it began its 'energy turnaround' (energiewende) which aims first to transform its electric power production system, then more generally the whole of its energy system. While the Germans are voting in September 2021, this policy-paper takes stock of 20 years of German energy policy choices. Often caricatured in Europe, and in particular in France, the sovereign choice to exit nuclear energy historically constitutes the first pillar of German energy strategy. This democratic choice is becoming reality. This 'no' to nuclear power is linked to a 'yes' to renewable energies. Wind and solar energies have progressed spectacularly, to the point of allowing Germany to begin the path which should lead it to exit nuclear power by 2022, and to exit coal before 2038. Germany is therefore completing its 'energy turnaround', which began over 20 years ago. But to achieve the new objective of climate neutrality of 2045, which Germany has set for itself, a simple 'turning point' is not enough. The next German coalition will have to scale up and make choices that look more like a 'great transformation', or even a real energy 'revolution'. And these political choices, on major challenges of energy sobriety, innovation, energy citizenship or electrification will have to be taken up at the level of Germany, Europe and the whole world