Where is the Energy?

Eons ago, when I was a design student living in San Francisco with roommates, we had a German guy from Munich staying with us for a little while. Like most Europeans, his English was quite good, but every now and then he would phrase things in a way that would have us laughing for days.

One morning, said roommate was looking for somewhere to plug in the coffee bean grinder. He looked at us, cord in hand, and asked:

'Ver ees zee energy?'

Of course he meant: 'Where can I plug this in?' We found this so funny and charming that we adopted the phrase. Whenever we needed an electrical socket, we'd ask 'ver ees zee energy', complete with an obnoxious American impression of a German accent (sorry).

Lately this phrase runs through my head in an entirely different context.

I think about it when I hear of 50k layoffs at Volkswagen or when the AfD wins in Saxony-Anhalt. I think about it when I hear reporters compare Europe's LNG stores with where they stood when Covid or the war in Ukraine started.

I think about it when I listen to podcasts about Europe's need to rearm, and I think about it when I hear nervousness about a repeat of the yellow vest protests in France.

I also think about it when I listen to tech optimists' hysterical warnings about Europe falling behind in the AI race. I think about it when I learn more about China Shock 2.0.

Cheap, reliable energy — or rather the lack thereof — is at the root of all of these concerns.

The affordability crisis is real, all over the world. High energy prices hit citizens in the form of higher prices for necessary goods like food, heating, and transportation. They don't like this and get mad at their leaders.

European industry needs lots of power. Without it, it can't stay competitive, and when it can't stay competitive, it sheds jobs. People like having jobs. When they don't have jobs, it leads to civil unrest and populism (usually the right-wing flavor).

And what happens if and when right-wing populist governments take over France and Germany? Maybe not the official dismantling of the EU, but instead hollowing it out and diluting any real power it has as an integrated bloc. This will look like Germany leaving the Euro, blocking funding, and eliminating efforts at a coherent and cohesive foreign and military strategy.

The European defense and aerospace industry is showing signs of real traction, but for it to really take off it needs lots of energy. Without breakthroughs and innovation in defense, we can't defend ourselves against a hostile, revanchist, and increasingly cornered and desperate Russia — a Russia that is actively working to fracture and enfeeble Europe.

I'm less concerned about keeping up in the AI race, but I'm not stupid enough to think it doesn't matter. In this new world we'll need to fight fire with fire. Europe will need to counter cyber attacks and bio threats with its own AI-assisted solutions. There are also less defensive applications, like crop and infrastructure monitoring, that will require heavy AI usage and which need energy.

I've mentioned before that a bizarre irony of Trump's actions is that they serve as an accelerant for positive change in Europe. To put it less politely: it gets Europe off its ass. It's done that in defense, and now, with the Iran war disaster, it may be doing that for energy. It's human nature to resist change until it's impossible — or too painful — not to.

As Martin Wolf of the Financial Times put it on World Review after the Iran war began:

“It will take 10 years, but it is actually possible to imagine a world economy without the oil from the Gulf. Never underestimate the ability of markets to adjust if they really have to — and we'll suddenly find, all over the world, that renewable energy is rather a good deal.”

This is an opportunity.

Since I'm not a climate or energy tech expert, I asked Mistral what a rapid — and I mean like yesterday — energy transition in Europe would look like. Heres what it said:

Europe must treat this situation like a wartime mobilization: override bureaucracy, fast-track projects, and prioritize energy independence over short-term costs. The key is speed.

Europe can't control oil prices, but it can control its demand and supply mix. By aggressively scaling renewables, green hydrogen, and electrification, Europe can:

✅ Cut oil demand by 50% in 2 years (via efficiency, renewables, and demand destruction).

✅ Eliminate oil dependence by 2035 (via full electrification + green H₂).

✅ Avoid economic collapse (via strategic reserves, LNG bridges, and subsidies).

🔥 Immediate Actions (0–6 Months)

1. Release strategic oil reserves (IEA coordination).
2. Fast-track LNG imports (but only as a bridge).
3. Ration fuel for non-essential use (e.g., limit private cars, aviation).
4. Subsidize public transport (free/cheap trains/buses).
5. Suspend fuel taxes + cap electricity prices.

⚡ Rapid Transition (6–24 Months)

1. Emergency permitting for wind/solar (override local opposition).
2. Mandate rooftop solar + repurpose coal plants for batteries.
3. Scale green hydrogen for industry (subsidize to €2/kg).
4. Convert oil refineries to e-fuels (for aviation/shipping).
5. Ban short-haul flights + mandate heat pumps.

🌍 Long-Term Independence (2–10 Years)

1. 400–600 GW wind + 500–800 GW solar by 2035.
2. 200 GW green H₂ by 2035 (for industry, shipping, aviation).
3. 100% EV adoption by 2035 (ban ICE cars by 2030).
4. Full circular economy (recycling + CO₂ capture).
5. EU Energy Union (integrated grids + H₂ pipelines).

This looks good to me! But if you're an energy expert and see things differently, tell me why! There are, of course, political hurdles, but nothing gets people motivated like expensive gas.

The danger is that people will turn to bad, short-sighted solutions like normalizing relations with Russia, which is akin to returning to one's pimp or drug dealer when you've run out of cash or need a hit. Turning Europe into a Russian colony is to be avoided.

Honestly, I'm not confident in the communication skills — or the quality, frankly — of Europe's political class to make this happen. It's up to us, everyday people, to insist on it.

I don't want to end on a bleak note. So enjoy these two solution-driven articles I recently found on the Norrsken good news site: Twelve Steps to the Electro Union and Ten Builders of the Electro Continent.