Services

Services as a package

People, Places and their key role in the Energy Transition:
Regional energy markets worldwide

France in the limelight – plein feu sur la France

Today, just about everywhere, we see polarisations and political and social divisions that seem to be very similar. This creates the impression that we are not very different after all. Maybe that’s true. Still, I find it absolutely astounding and mystifying that these developments arise not from the same social and political environments but from totally different contexts.

Take France and Germany: To many of us in Germany, the French and Germans have more in common than divides them. This may be true but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. The tips of the icebergs may look the same, but the icebergs themselves are not. Our perspective underestimates the profound divergencies between the mindsets of the two peoples and the structures and organisations of the countries.

When we compare France and Germany, we are often comparing apples and oranges, a methodology generally regarded as inadmissible. But the opposite is the case. We should not shy away from the challenge; we should embrace it. Because it helps us understand better what is different about our partner „dans le couple franco-allemand“. It is a necessary precondition for fruitful discussions between those people in both countries who are interested in the

dialogue franco-allemand

It is better to admit that we do not always see eye to eye, e.g. in energy matters. We need to begin by analysing how and why our partners reach their conclusions.

Here is a headline from Clean Energy Wire (CLEW) of 23.06.2023
France and Germany “agree on 90 percent” of energy issues, must close ranks

But is that really true? Nuclear may be at the heart of the energy policy problems between France and Germany, but it is not the only reason for the divide. Energy expert Jena-Marc Jancovici has characterised Germany as the absolute counter model to what France should do. And he has done much to shape public opinion and is often referenced as an authority on energy matters. Yet Jancovici is far from the only energy expert and public figure strongly opposed to renewable energy. The result was effectively a culture war in France.

See, for example, what the „École de Guerre Économique“ in Paris – a kind of strategy school for economic competition and warfare in the international arena – has to say about renewables *, **. The hostility of these influential people has left its mark on French society to a degree that wind and solar energy have been derided by large sections of the population. It will take a lot of work to break down these barriers – more than the CLEW headline would have us believe.

Even an imaginary reality appears real if it is shared by a great many people. Acknowledging the fissure between France and Germany helps us circumvent the inevitably futile attempts to harmonize the incompatible. Papering over polarisations is unhelpful when it results in unworkable compromises that jeopardize decisions on existential matters.

All this proves that technological and practical potentials are not sufficient to progress the energy transition. To move forward we need to reconcile

People, Places and Energy Technologies

in other words, technology and social sciences. We need major advances in the social sciences to address these issues successfully. When it comes to analysing other countries and regions and their readiness for renewable energy, France is fertile ground for new insights.

*https://www.ege.fr/infoguerre/polemique-sur-le-cout-reel-des-energies-renouvelables

**https://www.ege.fr/infoguerre/les-causes-de-la-faillite-de-la-politique-energetique-allemande

My portfolio in just five keywords

People, Places and the Energy Transition

  • Energy Markets Worldwide
  • New Regional Energy Markets [research & analysis]
  • Energy and the Social Sciences
  • Social sciences applied to the energy transition
  • La France et l‘Allemagne: France Germany Energy Partnership [see text above]

…and here in more detail

People, places and the energy transition

Social sciences and the energy transition

Juggling emerging energy markets in a world turned upside down; how to find your way into new markets

Hydrogen: Technology & Society

  • Global trends against regional backgrounds in key regions
  • Regional energy markets: world regions, country regions, energy partnerships

Relying on energy technology alone was yesterday, today a multi-faceted approach is needed

Energy technology and society:

  • Global trends against regional backgrounds in key regions
  • Collective mentality and energy transition

keywords: geopolitics, supply chain security, major trends in regions, power blocs, H2 emerging markets, transition technologies, inequality

Explorer le monde par l’intermédiaire de la France

étudier la France pour mieux comprendre le monde

la France – une autre manière de penser

Sociologie francaise

for intellectual, societal, historical questions my choice is France – le dialogue franco-allemand

Not shy away from contrarian views

Ne pas craindre des avis contraires

French transition énergétique, Energie wende and the future of European energy policy

les regions de la France et la transition énergetique

at a glance: Hydrogen France Geopolitics Language & Ed-tech

Professional practice

30 years of teaching practice, 20 years of translation practice,
consultancy services: extensive knowledge in social sciences / history

  • social sciences, history and the energy transition:

    • regional studies: France, Poland, worldwide

  • education / training:

    • 30 years of teaching practice in Germany, UK and France

    • English and history at German state schools

    • Paris: 5 years as a trainer for specialist English at CCIs etc,

    • London: lecturer in sustainable transport for the Chartered Institute of Transport, London, https://ciltuk.org.uk/

  • specialist translations – with a focus on technology
    in energy and transport (for 20 years)

    • most recent translation: 80 page translation offshore wind into English

    • translations for major German wind energy players

    • about 60 trade magazine articles

    • press releases

Durch die weitere Nutzung der Seite stimmst du der Verwendung von Cookies zu. Weitere Informationen

Die Cookie-Einstellungen auf dieser Website sind auf "Cookies zulassen" eingestellt, um das beste Surferlebnis zu ermöglichen. Wenn du diese Website ohne Änderung der Cookie-Einstellungen verwendest oder auf "Akzeptieren" klickst, erklärst du sich damit einverstanden.

Schließen