Wind and solar overtake fossil fuels in Germany for the first time

6 hours ago

In 2025, wind and solar generated more electricity than fossil fuels in Germany for the first time, with 44% of total electricity from renewables versus 43% from fossil fuels.
This milestone was also achieved across the EU as a whole in 2025.
The growth is attributed to Germany's Energiewende strategy, with rapid expansion of solar and onshore wind over the past two decades.
Germany aims for 115 GW of onshore wind by 2030, an 80% renewables share of electricity consumption by 2030, and economy-wide net-zero emissions by 2045.
The nuclear phaseout remains politically settled, despite criticism from Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and the government has ruled out returning to conventional nuclear power.
Coal is a bigger short-term challenge, with an official phaseout deadline of no later than 2038, but experts expect coal elimination earlier.
The far-right AfD is mounting new opposition to renewables, while the government supports gas plants as a bridge technology, intended to convert to green hydrogen by 2045.

In 2023, Germany generated 44% of its electricity from wind and solar, surpassing fossil fuels at 43% for the first time.
This milestone advances the Energiewende, Germany's national push to expand renewables and phase out gas, coal, and nuclear power.
Germany shut down its last nuclear plants in 2023, aims to end coal by 2038 (likely sooner), and targets net zero emissions by 2045 using green hydrogen.

The world is on an unstoppable shift towards renewable energy, but the phase-down of fossil fuels is not happening quickly enough.
Renewables are predicted to provide half of the world's electricity by 2030, yet emissions remain too high to prevent a 1.5°C temperature rise.
Investment in fossil fuels needs to be cut in half, while current levels are double what they should be.

German households increasingly combine solar power with battery storage to protect against fossil fuel price shocks and enhance energy independence.
Germany leads in plug-in solar adoption with over one million kits installed from 2022 to 2025, driven by government incentives and VAT elimination, potentially covering up to 2% of electricity demand by 2045.
Outdated European grids and renewable bottlenecks threaten Germany's renewable boom, with over 120 GW of renewables at risk without infrastructure improvements, and surplus solar causing negative electricity prices.

Climate change is real, human-caused, and the 2023 anomaly is exceptionally dangerous.
The climate is inherently unstable, and human emissions are now a dominant force in the Earth system.
Current efforts to reduce emissions ('abstinence only') are insufficient to meet net-zero goals by 2050.

Global temperatures in 2023 and 2024 exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, potentially surpassing the Paris Agreement limit permanently.
The 2°C warming limit is at risk; acceleration could lead to 3°C by 2050 and up to 5°C by century's end without urgent action.
Extreme weather events like droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, and heavy rainfall are increasing globally, causing significant damage and health risks.

In 2023, Germany generated 44% of its electricity from wind and solar, surpassing fossil fuels at 43% for the first time.
This milestone advances the Energiewende, Germany's national push to expand renewables and phase out gas, coal, and nuclear power.
Germany shut down its last nuclear plants in 2023, aims to end coal by 2038 (likely sooner), and targets net zero emissions by 2045 using green hydrogen.

The world is on an unstoppable shift towards renewable energy, but the phase-down of fossil fuels is not happening quickly enough.
Renewables are predicted to provide half of the world's electricity by 2030, yet emissions remain too high to prevent a 1.5°C temperature rise.
Investment in fossil fuels needs to be cut in half, while current levels are double what they should be.

German households increasingly combine solar power with battery storage to protect against fossil fuel price shocks and enhance energy independence.
Germany leads in plug-in solar adoption with over one million kits installed from 2022 to 2025, driven by government incentives and VAT elimination, potentially covering up to 2% of electricity demand by 2045.
Outdated European grids and renewable bottlenecks threaten Germany's renewable boom, with over 120 GW of renewables at risk without infrastructure improvements, and surplus solar causing negative electricity prices.

Climate change is real, human-caused, and the 2023 anomaly is exceptionally dangerous.
The climate is inherently unstable, and human emissions are now a dominant force in the Earth system.
Current efforts to reduce emissions ('abstinence only') are insufficient to meet net-zero goals by 2050.

Global temperatures in 2023 and 2024 exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, potentially surpassing the Paris Agreement limit permanently.
The 2°C warming limit is at risk; acceleration could lead to 3°C by 2050 and up to 5°C by century's end without urgent action.
Extreme weather events like droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, and heavy rainfall are increasing globally, causing significant damage and health risks.

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