Insights 25.03.2025
Efficiency instead of a watering can: energy transition needs a cost check
Marc Pion
Friedrich Merz and Lars Klingbeil gave a clear and correct message at the Bundestag session on March 18: “Money has never solved all problems,” said Merz. Klingbeil said that Germany needed to become “more efficient, more targeted and more professional everywhere”. Both are right about this, especially for the climate and energy transition, as well as the planned increase in the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF) by 100 billion euros. But how can we ensure that funding is used in a targeted and effective manner?
What does the billion-euro financial package mean for Germany's future climate policy?
The CDU/CSU is calling for an efficiency check for the energy transition, especially for instruments such as the KTF. CDU climate politician Andreas Jung emphasizes the need to review funding programmes for efficiency and impact in order to ensure that the funds are used in a targeted manner.
Let's talk about PAUL Net Zero – get in touch now
As a result of this approach, one would therefore have to conclude that innovative, cost-effective and future-oriented solutions for decarbonizing existing properties represent a sensible investment. A good example of this is PAUL Net Zero: by using technologies such as heat pumps, photovoltaic systems and artificial intelligence, PAUL enables buildings to become immediately CO₂-neutral without the need for expensive refurbishment measures. This model not only increases energy efficiency from, for example, E to A, but also increases the value of entire real estate portfolios and protects against stranded assets.
There is no way around restructuring our energy system to protect the climate. But we urgently need a better balance between sustainability, security of supply - and also economic efficiency. If we tackle this cleverly, we can save a lot of money in the energy transition, according to our conservative estimate a three-digit billion amount. This will also be crucial for social acceptance. And without that, it won't work.
Leo Birnbaum, CEO E.ON
Investing in what makes sense: Ecologically and economically
The efficiency and cost-effectiveness of technologies such as PAUL Net Zero contribute to a cost-conscious heating transition. Investments in intelligent sector coupling and sustainable energy supply, such as those offered by PAUL, can be seen as examples of capital well invested. At the same time, they help to achieve the currently missed climate neutrality targets in the building sector after all.
It is absolutely essential to use subsidies and capital cleverly and efficiently in order to drive forward the energy transition and therefore also the heating transition in the real estate sector. Innovative solutions such as PAUL Net Zero can play a key role in this by offering both ecological and economic benefits.
Sascha Müller, CEO PAUL Tech AG