Germans are increasingly investigating “energy poverty” – and discovering that electricity is a smaller item than motor fuel and heat. The State of Baden-Württemberg, where our Craig Morris lives, recently published an overview for the state. The findings in the recent study (PDF in German) will not come as much of a surprise to readers of this blog. So as not to bury the lede, let’s start with my favorite finding: the retail power rate is expected to rise from the average of 28.84 cents in 2013 to around 32 cents by 2020, more or less in line with inflation at a 2.0 percent annual increase. Power makes up 27 percent of the average household’s energy expenses, less than the 37 percent for heat and 36 percent for motor fuels. The state’s Environmental Minister Franz Untersteller concludes that “we can’t just talk about power prices and the renewables surcharge when we discuss the affordability of energy.” The study also revealed that power makes up the smallest share of household expenditures in Baden-Württemberg, a relatively rich … Continue reading Germans face high fossil fuel costs