Germany has produced more electricity from renewable sources in the first half of the year than ever before, with photovoltaic systems particularly reaching record levels.
The share of renewable energy in electricity consumption in Germany has reached a new high. This is according to estimates from the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW).
According to these estimates, the share of electricity from renewable energy in the first half of 2024 was around 58 percent, up from 52 percent in the same period last year. Since April, renewables have accounted for 59 percent of the monthly electricity consumption.
“Photovoltaic systems, in particular, produced significantly more electricity than in the previous year, generating a total of 37 billion kilowatt-hours, thanks to the record expansion in 2023,” wrote the Energy Industry Association. Of the 58 percent, 24 percentage points came from onshore wind power, 14 percentage points from photovoltaics, nine percentage points from biomass, five points from hydropower, five points from offshore wind energy, and one point from electricity generation from municipal waste.
Decline in Electricity Consumption
In June 2024, photovoltaic systems generated more than ten billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in a single month for the first time. Hydropower also contributed significantly, producing twelve billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The gross domestic electricity consumption totaled 261 billion kilowatt-hours, down 0.3 percent from the previous year.
The association emphasized the importance of building hydrogen-capable gas power plants. “Despite the encouraging figures, electricity generation from wind and solar is not constant,” said Kerstin Andreae, Chairwoman of the BDEW Executive Board. “We need secured capacity for system services and times when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.”
The record indicates that a secure and greenhouse gas-neutral electricity supply based on almost 100 percent renewable energy, including hydrogen, is achievable by 2035, said ZSW Board Member Frithjof Staiß. This provides a stable foundation for the industry on its path to climate-neutral production.
