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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 3h

He is right there.

Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 14h

Oh my.
As soon as I get my home fusion reactor up and running I'll have unlimited H2!
And you can run your CC machine for unlimited bubbly water.

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 14h

They could have at least tried to make them look nice.

I want it to come with a home electrolyser for easy fuelling !

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 14h

I think it's the lack of a locational/distance element. Making it a general purchase subsidy works directly against the modal shift (in mostly urban/ suburban areas) and that modal shift brings huge benefits. You can't look at it as pure industrial strategy. Lots of knock-on effects.

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 14h

How big a TCO gap are we talking about? The lack of smart meters and dynamic tariffs in Germany is definitely an unnecessary increase in TCO of an EV. And the incoming wave of EVs have significantly cheaper batteries to help too.

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 14h

Have to agree with that sadly.

Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 14h

Right. We need to make it clear to policy makers that the current difficulties are not due to climate policies that bite in ten years' time and loosening those policies doesn't help, at all, with current struggles.
But it's understandable to like simple solutions to complex problems.

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 15h

I think France did a decent job of this with their social leasing programme. Specifically targeting poorer households, longer commutes in smaller cars. The best car, at the time, to meet those criteria was the Renault Zoe. Does a similar mix of social leasing + corporate fleets do enough?

Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 15h

I think France got it right with their social leasing criteria. Specifically targeting poorer households with longer commutes in smaller cars.

What do you think?

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 15h

It is and it isn't.
Blanket demand side measures to boost purchases can be good fiscal policy but also terrible mobility policy.
More targeted measures at greening corporate fleets would, I think, do a better job of boosting demand without impeding urban mobility shifts.

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 15h

Sander has a point about demand-side support being a fiscal policy no-brainer for Germany but demand side support for cars is also the worst mobility policy. A tough needle to thread.

Greening corporate fleets gets you part way there (how much?) without too negative impacts on mobility shifts.

Sander Tordoir @sandertordoir.bsky.social · 23h

German auto summit tomorrow.

The sole focus on the EU combustion engine phase-out, which is 10 years away, is baffling because German cars have a demand problem today

Berlin worries a new EV subsidy scheme would be fiscally too expensive.

But demand-side support is a fiscal no-brainer here.

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 16h

And in the text that accompanied the original hydrogen ladder H2 powered bikes were the closing note.

energy-cities.eu/where-should...

I think you'll agree!

Where should green hydrogen fit in your city? - Energy Cities

Hydrogen is being touted as a solution to many challenges in the energy transition. And it is an exciting and flexible energy carrier that will […]

energy-cities.eu

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 16h

What a rich vein to mine. A love of e-bikes! My favourite thing about e-bikes is that my commute takes the exact same amount of time every day. Terrible weather, traffic accidents, strikes, etc... I am never late to pick up my kids. It reduces my daily stress levels considerably!

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Reposted by Adrian Hiel

Clean Energy Wire | CLEW @cleanenergywire.bsky.social · 17h

City of Berlin’s solar mandate drives surge in rooftop photovoltaics

Since 2023, the number of PV systems in Germany's capital has tripled

www.cleanenergywire.org/news/city-be...

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Reposted by Adrian Hiel

Regulatory Assistance Project @regassistproj.bsky.social · 1d

⚡ Europe’s clean energy transition can only move as fast as its electricity grids.

But outdated regulation and limited oversight are slowing things down. RAP and @beyondfossilfuels.bsky.social propose two urgent reforms for national governments to make grids fit for the energy transition.👇

https://www.raponline.org/blog/better-oversight-better-foresight/👇

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 1d

Interesting ideas here. I like the clarity of giving national regulators a mandate for the energy transition. It provides a framework for decision-making apart from the first-come, first-served process we have now.

Beyond Fossil Fuels @beyondfossilfuels.bsky.social · 1d

Electricity grid upgrades are central to Europe's future energy security and competitiveness.
To achieve this, it needs to:
1️⃣ Give national regulators a statutory mandate for the energy transition.
2️⃣ Create independent system operators and planners (ISOPs) to oversee grid planning in the public
🧵1/5

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 1d

Great work by @julietphillips.bsky.social and @bramclaeys.bsky.social .

Will have a read with interest. The mandate really appeals to me.

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 1d

Absolute confidence.

Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 1d

So things are getting better ;)

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 1d

Didn't he say that cars wouldn't be welcome in city centres? That was really bold at the time (and I do think he is right about reduced deaths and liability issues in his article).

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 1d

The last two paragraphs of that piece, except for the bit you quoted' are incredibly depressing. More time in cars? A car as a second home? That sounds awful.

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Reposted by Adrian Hiel

The Beaverton @thebeaverton.com · 1d

A satirical news headline reading:
Trump on 51st State: “Canada needs America’s protection from countries like America”

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Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 1d

Motion to introduce the term 'Plakata' to geopolitical discussions.

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Reposted by Adrian Hiel

Adrian Hiel @adrianhiel.bsky.social · 2d

Germany and Italy to be formally known as the 'Axis of the Gaseous' from now on.

Stefano Porciello @steporciello.bsky.social · 2d

Germany and Italy have joined forces to push for changes to the EU’s 2035 ban on tailpipe emissions from new cars, urging that vehicles “powered by renewable fuels” remain “eligible for registration” after the deadline, according to a joint memo obtained by Euractiv.

Euractiv @euractiv.com · 2d

Germany allies with Italy against 2035 zero emission car mandate

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Reposted by Adrian Hiel

Joannes Laveyne @jolaveyne.bsky.social · 2d

It may have escaped your attention, but the Belgian energy system has quietly passed an important test. During the weekend of 4-5 October 2025, our consumption was almost entirely covered by renewable energy. And yet the system ticked like a Swiss watch. /

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