Is 12% the difference
between economic
recession and
prosperity ?
That's not much.
Germany imposed
strict restrictions
on people gathering,
so large parts of industry
were harshly impacted.
Non-essential retailers,
events and venues
were ordered closed.
The country's
manufacturing
sector was
already weak
before COVID-19.
The new restrictions
created "instant
recession weeks",
until people who
lost their jobs are
allowed to return ,
just like in the US.
The data show that
under normal conditions,
peak German electricity
consumption is about
72 GW on a work day.
Since the German
government announced
tough anti-virus spread
restrictions, peak power
consumption has fallen
only 12%, to about 64 GW.
Environmentalists
always preach the need
to reduce energy use
and CO2 emissions.
The ability to reduce
the use of electricity,
without hurting families,
seems very limited
in the short run.
A country becomes
more prosperous
by consuming
more energy,
to produce
more goods
and services.
Less energy use
means less work,
and less work means
lower living standards
for many citizens.
Before COVID-19,
'green' activists,
pushing for a
“green economy”,
considered
a 10% decline
in electricity use
a very small step
in the "right"
direction.
With COVID-19,
German citizens
have experienced
a 12% decline
in electricity use,
and realized
how closely their
electricity use
was linked to
their economic
prosperity.