According to an analysis by Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, the country achieved a new milestone in 2024, with renewable energy sources accounting for 62.7 percent of net public electricity generation.
Last year was particularly favorable for the development of solar energy. Newly installed solar capacities continued to exceed the federal government’s targets, with solar energy production reaching a new record of 72.2 terawatt hours (TWh). This represents an increase of approximately 10.8 TWh, or 18 percent, compared to the previous year, with solar energy accounting for 14 percent of net public electricity generation.
With 8.7 TWh, July 2024 marked the month with the highest solar energy production. Once again, solar expansion surpassed government targets, with 13.3 gigawatts (GW) installed by November 2024, exceeding the planned 13 GW. Although full energy data for 2024 is not yet available, the institute estimates that new solar capacity added in the past year amounted to 15.9 GW.
In 2024, wind energy remained Germany’s most significant source of electricity, generating 136.4 TWh and accounting for 33 percent of net public electricity production. However, onshore wind production decreased to 110.7 TWh (compared to 115.3 TWh in 2023), while offshore wind generation slightly exceeded the previous year’s level at 25.7 TWh.
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The expansion of new wind energy capacities fell short of expectations in 2024. Onshore installations amounted to just 2.44 GW by November 2024, compared to the planned 7 GW. Offshore installations performed slightly better than in previous years but remained far below expectations. Germany added 0.7 GW of offshore capacity in 2024, while plans called for 5–7 GW annually, aiming for 30 GW by 2030.
Hydropower production in 2024 totaled 21.7 TWh, approximately equal to the 2023 level of 19.7 TWh, while the installed capacity of river plants increased from 4.94 GW to 6.4 GW. Biomass also contributed 36 TWh of electricity, with installed capacity remaining unchanged at 9.1 GW.
In addition to net public electricity production, total net electricity production includes electricity generated by industries for their own consumption. The share of renewable energy in total net electricity production, including industrial plants in manufacturing, mining, and quarrying, reached 58.6 percent in 2024.
Renewable energy plants generated approximately 275.2 TWh of electricity in 2024, a 4.4 percent increase compared to 2023 (267 TWh), the institute stated.
