Energy Transition
Renewables Now Cover One-Fifth of Germany's Primary Energy Needs
The AG Energiebilanzen (AGEB) association, which combines industry and research, says that the share of sustainable energy sources in the German mix is rising while overall consumption is down.
Dec 20, 2024
According to the latest AGEB figures, use of coal in Germany declined by double-digit percentages in 2024 while natural gas rose 3.3 percent and renewables 1.6 percent.
Renewables accounted for 2096 petajoules of Germany’s total consumption of 10,478 petajoules of primary energy. Renewables represent well over half of the electricity produced in Germany.
Overall consumption continued its long-term trend of decline, falling by 1.3 percent compared to 2023. In 1990, Germany consumed 14,905 petajoules. CO2 emissions also fell by more 17 million tons or over three percent annually, calculated the AGEB.
Driving these developments is efficiency.
“Explicit efficiency measures such as better processes in industry and better insulated buildings mean that as a whole less work needs to be done,” says Germany Trade & Invest energy and construction expert Rob Compton. “The combination of both electrification and other explicit efficiency measures is perhaps the most important thing to understand about Germany's transition to clean energy.”
