Though the wall fell more than a generation ago, relics of the divide still linger in Berlin. Since unification, Germany has struggled to bring the eastern part of the country up to par with the west, especially in the energy sector. But in some respects, East Germany has come out ahead, with a higher penetration of renewable energy.
Berlin from space. Courtesy of Chris Hadfield/NASA. Used with permission.
One of the harsh realities of Germany's energy transition is that German consumers pay some of the highest electricity rates in Europe as a result of taxes and subsidies for renewables. However, monthly bills end up being similar to those in the United States because German households tend to be smaller and more efficient.
A home in with solar panels in Berlin, Germany
In the United States, average fuel economy in light duty vehicles (most retail cars and trucks) is about 30 miles per gallon and rising, but by 2025, vehicles will have to average 54.5 miles per gallon. Automakers are now scrambling to come up with new ideas to deliver the same performance consumers expect with better fuel efficiency.
A Nissan Altima mounted on a dynamometer at EPA's fuel efficiency testing lab
At the world's biggest, most complicated science experiment, science agencies from around the world are building it in the most complicated way possible. The goal is to harness fusion, the reaction that powers the sun, to produce electricity here on earth. However, the project is over budget and behind schedule, leading some members to reevaluate what they hope to get out of it.
A welcome sign or a tombstone?
When temperatures rise, air pollution gets worse. Ozone and volatile organic compounds tend to form on hotter days in urban environments, sending the vulnerable to emergency rooms for heart and lung problems. German researchers found that under a changing climate, these factors converge to form a lethal threat.
Clear skies over Nymphenburg Palace in Munich, Germany
Nestled in the Black Forest, Freiburg, Germany prides itself on its green credentials. But some activists are concerned that this city is not doing enough, with new development plans that may undermine some of its gains.
The old city
Activists from Germany and Poland met at the border to protest the expansion of coal mining in the region, holding hands to form a human chain. Despite the push for renewables, one German state is considering expanding existing mining for lignite, the dirtiest form of coal. Locals are concerned about losing their homes as these massive open pit mines expand.
The title of the post translates to "A future without lignite," a slogan I saw on a protest sign.
A coal-fired power plant and a wind turbine near the Polish border in Germany