In the last decade, Europe has established a broad portfolio of energy and climate policies in order to cope with the challenges of resource scarcity and climate change. As one of the pioneering member states, Germany has set ambitious national climate policy targets for 2020 and beyond. Consequently, the German manufacturing industry faces a variety of regulation at the national and European level. These measures range from the direct regulation of greenhouse gas emission by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to subsidies for energy efficient technologies and renewables. In addition, the manufacturing industry faces in Germany - compared with international benchmarks - high energy prices. The international competitiveness of the German manufacturing industry is therefore under increasing pressure. The context described above shapes the investment and production decisions of firms that belong to the manufacturing industry. Aim of the study was to shed light on the strategies of firms regarding the regulatory environment. The investigations particularly focused  on investments in energy efficient technologies and renewables.