In the first two weeks of the war, there has been a surge in the number of Americans looking to save money on energy-by asking for quotes on home solar systems and looking up electric vehicles online. We can expect similar trends in other countries. In India, where many kitchens depend on increasingly scarce and costly liquefied petroleum gas cylinders, consumers are racing to buy induction stoves.
Germany, Austria, Japan, and France all signal movement. German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche called a lunchtime press conference in Berlin, a day after Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil had said the government was open to releasing some of its reserves. At around the same time, Austria's government said it would limit increases in diesel and gasoline prices at fuel stations to once per day and that it would take part in international plans to release some of the oil reserves.