Share in electricity generation
Green boom: Renewables well over 50 percent in 2023
January 2, 2024, 11:18 p.m
The share of renewable energies in Germany’s electricity supply has increased significantly in the last year. On the one hand this is due to the expansion, but on the other hand it is also due to the wind or rain. Photovoltaics, on the other hand, weaken slightly due to a lack of sun. Coal is becoming less important.
Renewable energies accounted for more than half of German electricity generation last year. The share of electricity from wind, water, biomass and other renewable energies rose to 56 percent, as the Federal Network Agency announced. In the previous year the value was 47.4 percent.
One reason was the weather: after the drought in 2022, hydroelectric power plants benefited from heavier rainfall again. They generated 16.5 percent more energy than in the previous year. However, hydropower plays a minor role in electricity generation in Germany overall.
Wind power is much more important, especially in winter when there is very little yield from photovoltaic systems. Wind turbines generated 18 percent more electricity in this country in 2023. Also because of more installed capacity, they fed in more than ever before, at over 119 terawatt hours.
The situation was poorer for photovoltaics: despite significantly larger capacities, the energy here was almost constant. According to the authority, this was mainly due to the rather sunny weather.
Offshore wind power is weakening
Generation from offshore wind turbines suffered due to maintenance work on wind farms and lines. Their output was five percent below the value from 2022. According to the network agency, production from biomass and other renewable energies also fell.
Significantly less energy was generated by the conventional energy sources coal and nuclear power. The last nuclear power plants were shut down in April. Coal experienced a boom in Germany in 2022. However, this did not continue last year.
Gas power plants benefited from lower trading prices. Their energy became cheaper compared to 2022 and therefore more attractive on the electricity market.