“More speed needed”: Renewable electricity production declines slightly compared to the previous year, despite the increase in the number of plants.
Despite the commissioning of numerous new photovoltaic and wind energy systems, slightly less electricity was generated from renewable energies in Germany in the first half of the year than in the first six months of the previous year. At just under 136 terawatt hours (TWH), production was around one percent below the level of the previous year, the Federal Environment Agency announced.
Poorer weather conditions than in the previous year resulted in slight declines in both solar energy and wind power production, which the newly built systems could not fully compensate for, the authority reported.
However, since there was significantly less demand for electricity in Germany from January to June, the share of renewable energies in gross electricity consumption nevertheless increased. According to initial estimates by the Working Group on Renewable Energy Statistics (AGEE-Stat), the share was 52 percent in the first six months. For comparison: In the first half of 2022, the share was 49 percent – for the whole of 2022 the corresponding value was 46 percent.
The expansion of renewable energies must pick up speed
“It is a success that today more than half of the electricity consumption in Germany can be covered by sun, wind and the like,” emphasized the Federal Environment Agency. However, the figures also made it clear that the expansion of renewable energies had to pick up speed, particularly in view of the necessary electrification of heat supply and transport. The current plant growth is not yet sufficient.
Over the entire first half of 2023, wind power generation continued to make by far the largest contribution to renewable power generation at 51 percent. Photovoltaics followed with 23 percent, biomass power generation contributed about 18 percent and electricity generation from hydroelectric power plants provided 8 percent of the renewable electricity.
Source: Stern
