Renewables produce 38% of German power in 9-mo

The Reichertshull and Workerszeller Forst wind parks. Image by: Herbert Grabe/ OSTWIND.

Renewables met 38% of Germany’s gross electricity consumption in the first nine months of 2018, and up to 43% in January, April and May thanks to a combination of strong winds and sunny days.

Year-on-year, the share of renewable power has grown by 3 percentage points, the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wuerttemberg (ZSW) and the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) announced today.

The table shows where Germany’s power came from in the nine months.

Output in billion kWh	9-mo 2018	9-mo 2017
ALL RENEWABLES	170	155.5
Onshore wind	63	55.4
Offshore wind	13	11.7
Photovoltaics	41	35.6
Biomass	34	33.4
Hydropower	13	14.9
NON-RENEWABLES	--	--
Lignite and hard coal	172	184
Natural gas	59	63.6

Stefan Kapferer, chairman of BDEW's Management Board, said that much has to be done to reach Germany’s 65% renewables goal for 2030. He is urging for action to guarantee that there will be space for new projects, especially onshore wind, and for an urgent start of the 8 GW of announced special tenders for wind and solar. The expansion of the North-South connection, and the creation of adequate framework conditions for the operation of energy storage systems should also be on the list of priorities.

The slow progress of the greening of the heat and transport sector in Germany remains a concern.

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