A survey of more than 3,500 German companies has shown that half of them believe the transition to renewable energy will have negative or very negative implications for business. 

The survey, conducted by the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry, found that only 13% of the respondents believe the energy transition will have positive or very positive implications.  

“Concerns about one’s own competitiveness have never been greater” deputy general manager Achim Dercks told reporters during a presentation of the survey on 29 August which Clean Energy Wire attended. The barometer was launched in 2012 and results this year are the lowest recorded. 

"While companies used to see opportunities in the energy transition, they are now outweighed by the risks in the assessment of the entire economy. Large parts of our economy are concerned about a lack of energy supply in the medium and long term.” 

The survey saw a particularly negative response from those in energy-intensive industries. Despite the challenges a majority of the surveyed companies wish to stay in Germany but the number considering leaving is on the rise. 

Close to a third of the industrial companies are considering relocating production abroad or a reduction in domestic production, doubling the 16% of last year. 

Dercks called on politicians to “take countermeasures here as quickly as possible”. 

Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 Germany was a major consumer of Russian fossil fuels, importing around half of its gas from Russia and more than a third of its oil. 

Germany seeks to triple its renewables build-out by the year 2030 when they will represent 80% of the country’s energy mix. 

Earlier this year Germany closed its final three nuclear reactors amid safety concerns. However, the decision to increase fossil fuel generation to replace the loss of nuclear capacity has been criticised by certain environmentalists including Greta Thunberg.