Germany, starting 2024 strong, has set a historical record in renewable energy production. In a country where the sun often hides behind clouds, how did they achieve such success? Here are the details…

Germany, which rarely sees the sun, broke a renewable energy record

In the first quarter of 2024, Germany generated 58.4% of its electricity from renewable sources. Yes, almost more than half of the electricity came from renewable sources. This is the highest rate recorded since 2018 and is truly impressive.

Germany produced 121.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity from renewable energy sources. This represents an 11.6% increase compared to the previous year. Energy production from fossil fuels, on the other hand, decreased by 25.4%, constituting only 41.6% of the total electricity production. In other words, the era of fossil fuels is ending.

Wind energy also played a significant role in Germany’s electricity production. With a 12% increase compared to last year, wind energy produced an additional 5 billion kilowatt-hours, making up 38.5% of the country’s total electricity production. Solar energy didn’t lag behind either. It saw a 21% increase, producing 1.4 billion kilowatt-hours and covering 6.6% of the total production. As the sun shone, Germany’s energy reserves filled up.

Germany is also ambitious about its climate goals. The country aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 65% compared to 1990 levels by 2030. Furthermore, they plan to reduce emissions by 88% by 2040 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2045.

However, more action is needed in the transportation and building sectors, where they missed the 2023 targets. So, they need to work a bit more, but they are definitely on the right path. Recently, Germany has been providing significant incentives for renewable energy. Solutions related to increasing energy efficiency at home or solar energy and battery storage systems are being offered. People are even installing solar panel systems on their balconies.

You can reach Germany’s renewable energy goals here. What do you think about this? What steps should Turkey take regarding energy? Don’t forget to share your opinions in the comments below.