Renewables cover 58% of German electricity consumption in first half of 2026, setting a record for the period

The numbers

Germany's renewable energy installations generated 152.2 billion kilowatt-hours in the first six months of the year, covering 58 percent of gross electricity consumption. That is nearly three percentage points above the 55.2 percent recorded in the same period of 2025 and comfortably ahead of the 55.8 percent achieved over the whole of last year.

The total gross electricity generation stood at 263.5 billion kWh, while gross consumption reached 262.4 billion kWh. Net exports amounted to roughly 1.2 billion kWh.

Drivers: wind and solar surge

The increase was driven chiefly by a rebound in wind power after a wind-poor first half in 2025. Onshore wind output climbed 7.0 percent, contributing 52.9 billion kWh, while offshore wind jumped 28.3 percent. Solar generation rose 3.7 percent to 52.4 billion kWh. Biomass edged up 0.6 percent, but hydropower fell 7.7 percent due to lower rainfall.

Capacity expansion also accelerated. New photovoltaic installations added 8.3 GW, up from 7.8 GW in the first half of 2025. Onshore wind grew by 2.5 GW and offshore wind by 0.9 GW, both above the previous year’s pace.

The higher the share of renewables rises, the more independent we become from imports of fossil fuels.

Policy gridlock and industry pressure

The milestone coincided with growing frustration over legislative delays. The Renewable Energy Act (EEG) and the Offshore Wind Energy Act (WindSeeG), both of which expire in part at the end of 2026, still lack draft bills. BDEW chief executive Kerstin Andreae warned that companies need legal certainty to invest and meet Germany’s target of 80 percent renewable electricity by 2030.

To sustain this positive momentum, we now need more speed on the relevant legislative projects — specifically the EEG and the WindSeeG Act.

Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche is responsible for the legislation. The offshore wind industry faces particular headwinds: construction and financing costs have risen, planned tenders for this year were suspended, and companies such as TotalEnergies and BP have publicly considered returning their lease areas.

Beyond electricity: the wider energy picture

Frithjof Staiß, head of ZSW, called renewables the "sharpest sword" in the fight against climate change, pointing to the ongoing heatwave as a reminder of the urgency. He also stressed that a higher green power share acts as a shield against energy price shocks, noting that recent crises were sparked by fossil fuels, not by renewables.

The energy crises of recent months and years were triggered by fossil fuels, not by renewables.

When all energy consumption, not just electricity, is considered, the picture is less advanced. In the first quarter of 2026, renewables accounted for only 21.5 percent of Germany’s total energy mix, while oil, gas and coal combined made up 77.2 percent.