The German economy continues to stagnate. After it appeared to finally be growing at the start of 2024, it experienced a slight setback in the second quarter. Although incomes are rising and inflation is now near the two-percent target, people in Germany are saving their money. As investments and exports faltered due to the sluggish industrial sector, the upturn has been delayed for the time being. ...
Zu den Ergebnissen der heutigen Sitzung des Rates der Europäischen Zentralbank (EZB) äußert sich DIW-Präsident Marcel Fratzscher wie folgt:
Versorgungssicherheit im Stromsystem ist fundamental, damit wir nicht im Dunkeln sitzen. In der letzten Folge von fossilfrei haben wir verschiedene Optionen vorgestellt, wie man unser Stromsystem absichern kann, das zunehmend auf fluktuierenden erneuerbaren Energien basiert. In dieser Folge geht es im Detail um eine dieser Optionen: die „Versorgungssicherheitsreserve“. Unser Kollege Karsten...
Der Streit der Ampel hat das Land gelähmt, Deutschland ist tief gespalten. Doch eine neue Regierung wird die gleichen Konflikte haben. Es gibt aber eine Lösung. Die Hoffnung, dass die neue Bundesregierung die großen Probleme endlich löst, ist naiv. Vier grundlegende Konfliktlinien zwischen den Parteien im Bundestag spiegeln die Spaltung der Gesellschaft wider und werden wohl auch unter einer neuen ...
Heat pumps play a major role in decreasing fossil fuel use in heating. They increase electricity demand, but could also foster the system integration of variable renewable energy sources. We analyze three scenarios for expanding decentralized heat pumps in Germany by 2030, focusing on the role of buffer heat storage. Using an open-source power sector model, we assess costs, capacity investments, and ...
We discuss the main theories of harm in EU merger control and their evolution since the 1990s. We present stylized facts and trends using data extracted from EU merger decisions by natural language processing tools. EU merger policy has adapted over time, both in terms of legislation and theories of harm, as well as in terms of the investigative tools and evidence used. The introduction of the new ...
In light of rising oil and gas prices, investments in energy-efficient building renovation in Germany have risen recently in nominal terms. In 2023, around 72 billion euros were spent on the energy-efficient renovation of residential, public, and commercial buildings, about 12 billion more than in 2021. Nevertheless, investments declined by over six percent in price-adjusted terms, as construction ...
