The initial half of the year witnessed a significant surge in the share of renewable energy in electricity generation.
Wind energy emerged as the leading energy source, surpassing coal, contributing to around a third of the electricity output. In contrast, coal managed less than 11% of the share. Close behind were natural gas (14.6%) and solar power (13.9%) in third and fourth positions, according to statistical analysis.
Wind power production saw a surge of 11.9% in the initial half of 2024, rising from 65.5 to 73.4 billion kilowatt-hours. The Federale Statistische Amt attributed this growth to the unusually windy weather during the first half of the year. Solar power production also experienced a rise of 8.3%, reaching 30.5 billion kilowatt-hours, primarily due to the establishment of new facilities, as per the data.
Coal power generation, however, experienced a significant decrease, falling from 62.5 to 45.9 billion kilowatt-hours. Meanwhile, the role of natural gas as an energy carrier remained fairly steady at 32.1 billion kilowatt-hours compared to the previous year's 32.7 billion.
The data also indicated that electricity demand remained unchanged during the initial half. The decline in domestic electricity production was offset by an increase in imports. Electricity imports grew by 22.5%, while exports dropped by 15.2%. This trend can be largely attributed to the affordability of imported electricity over operating coal power plants.
The surge in wind power production can be partly credited to the fact that energy from wind contributed significantly to the increased electricity output. The unusual windy weather in the first half of 2024 boosted wind energy, making it a key player in providing energy from wind.
