The share of renewables in Germany’s power mix dropped last year amid lower winds, while greenhouse gas emissions rose and coal staged a comeback, prompting green groups to demand a massive expansion of renewable generation capacity.

While electricity consumption in Europe’s largest economy rose by 3.7% in 2021 to 503.8 terawatt hours, the production of renewable power fed into the grid fell to 42.8% of electricity generation, down from 48% in 2020, the federal grids agency BNetzA said.

The decline came amid a continued sluggish expansion of wind power and adverse weather conditions.

Onshore wind generation declined by 13.1% to 89.6TWh, while offshore wind generation fell by 10.8% to 24.0TWh. Solar generation despite a slight drop in solar hours rose amid a nine-year record in new installations to above 5GW last year. Hydro and biomass power also declined somewhat.

Among renewables, onshore wind despite the decline still accounted for the largest share in generation, with 17.7%, while offshore wind accounted for 4.7% of generation. Solar power followed with 9.2% of generation, and biomass with 7.8%. Another 2.9% were generated by hydro power.

Fossil and nuclear generation rose at the same time, to 57.4% of overall generation, led by lignite, which accounted for 19.4% of overall generation, while black coal made up 10.3%, and fossil gas 10.4%.

Nuclear power generation accounted for 12.9%, but will decline sharply this year as Germany at the end of 2021 switched off three out of six remaining nuclear reactors amid its decision to exit atomic power completely by the end of this year.

Due to the gas price explosion, the profitability of gas-fired power stations fell in comparison to coal- or lignite fired generation, prompting a renaissance of the most pollution energy sources.

The usage of more coal and lignite also led to a rise in greenhouse gas emissions by 33 million tonnes of CO₂ after years of declining emissions, according to a study by the Agora Energiewende think-tank.

If the new government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz – which includes participation of the Green Party – really wants to meet a new 80% renewable power target by 2030, it urgently need to act now, Agora Energiewende said.

Germany’s renewable energy federation BEE said the decline of renewables in the power mix and the return of coal are a results of a failed climate and energy policy in recent years.

“Once more, it becomes clear that we can only solve the problems ion the energy market, promote climate protection […] through a massive expansion of renewable energies in connection with sector coupling and a new power market design,” said BEE president Simone Peter.

By 2030, renewable installations need to triple, and by 2045 to grow six-fold, in order to reach climate neutrality as Germany targets for 2045, Peter added.

Energy Transition

Renewables' share of German power mix plunges as coal rebounds in 2021