Renewable Electricity Generation Rises, While Heat and Transport Remain Steady

According to the Federal Environment Agency, renewable energies contributed 57 percent to Germany's gross electricity consumption in the first half of 2024. However, renewable heat generation has decreased.

Evaluations show an increase in the share of renewable energies in electricity generation and consumption. The Renewable Energy Statistics Working Group (AGEE-Stat) reports that renewable energy systems produced around 147 terawatt-hours, a nine percent rise from the same period in 2023. Wind power led with 51 percent of renewable electricity generation, followed by photovoltaics at 24 percent, biomass at about 15 percent, and hydropower at 8 percent. Wind power saw a ten percent increase due to a windy winter, while photovoltaics benefited from improved conditions, leading to a 13 percent rise in solar power generation.

The working group has not yet projected the share of renewable energy for the entire year, as photovoltaics and wind power production varies with weather conditions and electricity consumption trends.

Photovoltaics saw a significant increase of 7.5 gigawatts in the first half of the year, surpassing the 84-gigawatt target for the end of 2024 with a current total of around 90 gigawatts. In contrast, wind power increased by approximately 900 megawatts on land and 400 megawatts at sea, reaching just under 62 gigawatts. Achieving the year-end target of 69 gigawatts seems unlikely.

Dirk Messner, President of the Federal Environment Agency, emphasized the need for considerable efforts to meet the Renewable Energy Sources Act goals. He highlighted the importance of planning and refining funding mechanisms and managing rising grid fees, especially in areas with many renewable energy installations.

In the heating sector, total renewable heat generation amounted to 111 terawatt-hours in the first half of 2024, a seven percent decrease from the previous year. Although heat from heat pumps and near-surface geothermal energy increased by around three percent, heat pump sales have recently declined. The Federal Environment Agency stresses the need to reverse this trend to meet the goal of installing 500,000 heat pumps annually. Currently, 75 percent of renewable heat comes from biomass, six percent from biogenic waste, and four percent from solar thermal systems.

Renewable sources provided 21.9 terawatt-hours in transportation, a three percent increase from the previous year. The rise in electric cars contributed to a 16 percent increase in renewable electricity use in transport, while biofuel use remained stable. Renewable electricity accounts for just under three percent of Germany's green electricity use, with about 30 percent used in rail transport and 30 percent in road transport.