Details DFIU-GEM Survey on the Societal Acceptance of the Energy Transition

Main Goals: The DFIU-GEM Energy Survey was initiated in 2023 together with the Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM). The main aim of this survey is to gain continuous insights into the state and progress of the energy transition in Germany and France, in particular the different aspects of public support for these transitions. Yearly surveys among the general public provide deep insights into the dynamics of energy transition in both countries over time. The two partners DFIU and GEM bring together an interdisciplinary team with experts from energy economics, behavioral economics and behavioral science, as well as marketing. The project is especially interested in the following aspects of public perceptions of the sustainable energy transition:
• Assessing public support for different forms of energy supply, such as solar, wind, nuclear, and gas
• Examining the acceptance of different approaches on the demand side, such as a price on carbon for consumers
• Comparing attitudes toward the energy transition in Germany and France, and assessing public support for cross-country cooperation

DFIU-GEM Energy Survey: Webinar on selected results from round 1
Date: May 28, 2024
On May 28, DFIU and the Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM) hosted a joint webinar to present first results from the DFIU-GEM Energy Survey to an
audience of researchers and beyond. The first round survey data was collected in December 2023, about five months prior to the European Union
elections. The webinar took place just a few days before the elections and thus served to inform an interested audience about the public opinions on the
course of the sustainable energy transition in Germany and France.
Insights from the first round of the survey pointed to consistent levels of support for the sustainable energy transition, with French and German respondents
showing similar levels of support. Moreover, people in both countries support electricity generation from renewable energies (e.g., solar and wind) over
electricity generated from fossil fuels (e.g., coal, gas). Attitudes were more polarized around nuclear power, with a substantial number of respondents in
both countries supporting as well as opposing this technology. These results indicate that support for a sustainable energy transition remains high, despite
other topics currently dominating public discourse.
In focus: Public opinions on French-German cooperation.
One survey module taps specifically into public opinions on French-German cooperation in the energy transition. As the chart below shows, closer
cooperation is something that is desired I both countries to an almost equal extent: about two-thirds of the German and French population support a
more intensive cross-border cooperation to push forward the energy transition. Further analyses showed that this level of support was relatively robust
to varying political preferences the respondents held.