I agree that German energy policies has turned in a major tragedy for all of Europe. Had the 5-600 billion euros spent on the Energiewende instead been used on new nuclear power stations, Europe could simply have pulled the control rods and charged right through this crisis with a mighty nuclear fleet.
Prices and building times would have come down. The germans might have had 100 big 1400 MW power stations by now.
But I don´t count them out forever. German public opinion is in favour of nuclear power:
https://www.ans.org/news/article-4712/g ... ear-power/
A new survey by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) indicates that 71 percent of the German public supports the continued use of nuclear energy in the country, while 29 percent want it ended.
This will improve over time. There is a silent majority that should not be understimated. Many facing the bleak prospects of unemployment and weak economic development understand these basic relations between reliable, cheap energy and prosperity.
And will make the conclusion that the dangers of modern, well managed nuclear power are vastly smaller than those of beeing gradually turned into white trash.
This billion for fusion is a minor sum for the germans. Something useful will come out of it. Hopefully, there will soon be conclusive results showing robust net energy gain. Somewhere in the world.
Then the real fusion race starts.