Die Zeit1 hour agoEnergy2 min readGermany

Renewable energies will cover 60.7 percent of German electricity consumption in the first three quarters of 2026

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In the first three quarters of 2026, renewable energies achieved a record share of 60.7 percent of electricity consumption in Germany, four percentage points more than in the same period last year.
The increase is mainly due to higher wind and solar production, while hydropower and biomass declined slightly.
Despite the progress, the 80 percent target for 2030 remains far away, with BDEW calling for faster legislation and network expansion.

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Why It Matters

Germany is pursuing the goal of covering 80 percent of its electricity consumption from renewable energies by 2030. The current figures show progress, but also challenges due to increasing energy demand due to climate change.

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Electricity from wind and sun is becoming increasingly important in Germany. In the first three quarters of 2026, green electricity accounted for a higher proportion of electricity consumption than ever before in this period. According to calculations by the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the Federal Association of the Energy and Water Industry (BDEW), renewable energies covered 60.7 percent of electricity consumption. These include wind energy, solar energy, biomass, hydropower and the organic portion of waste.

According to the information, there was an increase of four percentage points compared to the same period last year. At the same time, gross electricity consumption increased. In total, renewable energy systems generated 237.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity from January to September. That is 8.7 percent more than in the same period last year.

More electricity from wind power and solar

According to the information, the positive development is primarily due to significantly higher electricity generation from wind energy on land and at sea as well as from photovoltaics. Because there was little rain, less electricity was generated from hydropower. Production from biomass also fell slightly.

However, we are still some way away from the political goal of achieving an 80 percent share of renewable energy by 2030. To achieve this, the federal government must quickly come to an agreement on the Renewable Energy Sources Act and launch the acceleration package for the expansion of the distribution networks, demanded BDEW Chairwoman Kerstin Andreae. Procedures and environmental assessments would have to be simplified in order to start construction more quickly.

Increasing energy demand due to air conditioning

ZSW scientists also expect increasing demand for electricity due to climate change. More hot days and tropical nights ensured that more air conditioning was used. “This places additional demands on the power grid and load management,” explained ZSW boss Frithjof Staiß. Decentralized photovoltaic systems in particular could help - with battery storage even into the evening and night hours.

Open Questions

How will the increasing demand for electricity be covered by air conditioning in the long term?
What specific measures is the federal government planning to accelerate network expansion?
How does the decline in hydropower and biomass affect the overall balance?