Huge future assets aren't worth much if you're going broke now.
Conservation is important but there really aren't those kinds of big savings to be had. People don't want to drive golf carts to work and they don't want to live in the city. And I can't blame them. And 70F? Try 77 and it's still expensive.
And yes, boondoggles. Even in Germany. Read the "Government Policy" section of that wiki article. They are paying huge subsidies for renewable energy.