Germany will generate 58% of its electricity from renewable sources by the first half of 2024.

Germany has reached a new milestone in its energy transformation, producing 58% of its electricity from renewable sources in the first half of 2024. This increase, up from 52% in the same period in 2023, reflects continued growth in the renewable energy sector.

Efficiency of different renewable sources

According to data from the Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Centre (ZSW) and the German Energy and Water Industry Association (BDEW), the breakdown of renewable energy production is as follows: 24% comes from onshore wind power, 14% from photovoltaics, 9% from biomass, 5% from hydropower, 5% from offshore wind power and 1% from municipal waste.

Impact and development of infrastructure

Solar power production rose significantly to 37 billion kilowatt-hours thanks to a record expansion of photovoltaic installations in 2023. In June, solar power production exceeded 10 billion kilowatt-hours for the first time in a single month, while hydropower generated 12 billion kilowatt-hours.

Challenges and needs of the sector

Kerstin Andreae, chairwoman of the BDEW board, said the results were the fruit of the steady expansion of wind and solar infrastructure. However, she stressed the need to develop gas-fired power plants that can run on hydrogen to ensure grid stability in the event of variability in renewable energy sources.

Strategy and future prospects

Germany’s results show the effectiveness of renewable energy investments and underline the importance of technological innovation in meeting the challenges of intermittency. The emphasis is on diversifying sources and developing supporting infrastructure to maintain reliable, sustainable energy generation.