Amid the coronavirus pandemic, German households are more involved with the topic of sustainability. A recent EUPD Research survey conducted in the context of the Energiewende Award 2021 reveals that citizens focus more on their own energy consumption. Particularly the purchase of a photovoltaic system is highly relevant. Buying green energy is considered as an essential part of environmental protection – especially by those end consumers committed to specialized green power suppliers.

Bonn. Just like last year, 2021 has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating effects in society and economy. A limited mobility on a local and global level is a clearly visible effect of the pandemic. The – at least temporarily – reduced shipping, road- and air traffic has resulted in reduced emission rates .

Bonn-based market and economic researcher EUPD Research conducted a survey among 500 German homeowners. Findings show that during the coronavirus pandemic people are more involved with the issue around sustainability. For most respondents, it also promotes a more critical reflection on their own energy consumption. About 30% of interviewed homeowners rethink their energy consumption during the pandemic. More than half of this group even plans an investment in a photovoltaic system in order to generate clean energy. About one fourth of the survey group focuses more on sustainable financial investments or analyses their own mobility behavior.¹

With respect to environmental protection, purchasing green energy is of high or very high relevance for almost half of the survey participants. When comparing customer groups, the share of customers of pure green power providers is with 56% most pronounced. On the contrary, an option for purchasing green electricity is least important for customers of transregional energy suppliers.

“The coronavirus pandemic shows how susceptible our globalized world is. Sustainability in general and renewable energies in specific, are gaining in significance for end consumers. In this respect, photovoltaic plays a vital role in terms of self-consumption with renewal energies”, concludes Dr. Martin Ammon, Managing Partner of EUPD Research.

The most innovative energy providers will be honored with the Energiewende Award at the innovation platform “The smarter E Europe“, taking place for the 5th time on July 22, 2021. The Award is addressed to highly engaged energy suppliers, who promote and accelerate the Energiewende (Energy Transition) in the DACH region. The project initiators are the DCTI German CleanTech Institute, The smarter E Europe and EUPD Research. For the third time, this year‘s Energiewende Award is being supported by our partner Vaillant.

Further information about the Energiewende Award can be found at www.energiewende-award.de. In case of questions, please contact Saif Islam, at +49 (0) 228 97143-20 or islam[at]energiewende-award.de.

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¹Federal Environment Agency (2021): FAQ: “Coronavirus crisis and impacts on air quality“. https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/faq-auswirkungen-der-corona-krise-auf-die#welche-auswirkungen-hat-die-corona-krise-auf-die-ozon-belastung