Tomorrow - ein McKinsey Podcast Wie gelingt die Wärmewende?
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Oct 2, 2025 Sebastian Overlack, a McKinsey partner and energy expert, and Fridolin Pflugmann, a partner specializing in the energy sector, delve into the complexities of the Wärmewende, a crucial element of the energy transition. They discuss the staggering investment needs of 250-400 billion euros and the low renovation rates hampering progress. Insights include the potential of district heating, essential collaboration among stakeholders, and practical measures like smart thermostats and geothermal solutions to reduce emissions efficiently.
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Heat Is Central And Capital-Intensive
- Heat represents over half of final energy demand and is essential for the energy transition in Germany.
- Achieving decarbonisation requires €250–400 billion in investments across renovations, heating tech, and networks.
Make Renovations Affordable And Staffed
- Improve economic viability to raise renovation rates by reducing costs per square meter and expanding financing for homeowners.
- Expand skilled labor supply because current workforce cannot deliver the needed renovation volume.
District Heating Needs Deep Transformation
- District heating already serves 1.3 million buildings but is largely fossil-fuel based and needs major upgrades to decarbonise.
- Upgrading and expanding networks requires multibillion-euro investments and large volumes of green energy.