A Windless Quarter: Conventional Sources Top Energy Generation for First Time in Two Years!
Unprecedented surge in conventional power outstrips levels seen over past two years.
Stepping into 2025, Germany's powerhouse saw a significant flux - with conventional energy sources outrunning renewables for the first time in a formidable two years! The culprit? You guessed it, a scant wind that pulls down wind power generation by a whopping 29.2% according to the Federal Statistical Office.**
As a consequence, energy production from renewable sources plummeted by 17.0% year-on-year, leaving a gap that was expertly filled by coal, natural gas, and other sources, which saw a robust increase of 19.3%. To break it down, an astounding 119.4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity was churned out and supplied to the grid, a 1.9% decline compared to the glowing start of 2024. It's worth noting that more than half of that was thanks to fossil fuels, recording a staggering 50.5%, while renewables clocked in at a comparatively meager 41.5% a year ago.**
Got your attention? You bet! Wind power, despite its tumble, fortunately retained the crown as the leading renewable energy source in the first quarter, accounting for a respectable 27.8% of the total power mix. Coal followed hot on its heels with 27.0%, while natural gas took a mighty leap to 20.6%, eclipsing its numbers from the preceding year. Photo-voltaic power merrily increased by over a third to a share of 9.2%, and biogas and hydropower accounted for 6.1% and 3.8%, respectively.
Imports of electricity gave a boost to Germany too, surging by 14.9% to reach 19.3 billion kilowatt-hours, while exports dipped by 3%.**
So there you have it! Yes, it's a setback, but let's not forget the resilience of wind power and the promise it holds for the future of Germany's renewable energy landscape!
Sources: ntv.de, RTS
Deep Dive into the Details
- Renewables' Swoon: Despite the overall downturn, renewable energies are still far from extinct – contributing 49.5% to Germany's electricity mix despite the lower numbers in Q1 of 2025, compared to 58.5% during the same period the previous year.
- Fossil Fuels' Resurgence: Fossil fuels, particularly coal and natural gas, captured the limelight, accounting for 50.5% of Germany's electricity production in Q1 of 2025, contrasting the 41.5% in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
- The Impact of Scarce Wind: Germany experienced abnormally calm winds in Q1 of 2025, leading to a significant drop in wind power generation, from 38.5% in 2024 to 27.8% in 2025. The weak winds also affected companies such as PNE AG, whose output and revenue were lowered due to reduced power generation.
- In the face of reduced wind power generation, Germany's energy policy is likely to shift, considering the rise of conventional energy sources as reported in the community policy of the Federal Statistical Office.
- The resurgence of fossil fuels, such as coal and natural gas, in Germany's energy generation, as observed in the first quarter of 2025, is a topic of interest in the environmental-science community, given the ongoing concerns about carbon emissions and climate change.
- As the financial implications of Germany's energy policy become more apparent, it's essential to consider the role of renewable energy in providing a sustainable, long-term solution, particularly in light of the drop in wind power generation.
