Renewable energies such as wind and solar power covered almost half of the electricity consumption in Germany this year, reports the dpa. Specifically, the share of electricity from wind, photovoltaics, biomass and other regenerative energy sources was a good 46 percent of the gross electricity consumption, according to preliminary calculations by the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the Federal Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW) showed.

Lower electricity consumption This means that the share of green electricity has increased further, in the past year it was at 42, 5 percent located. According to the associations, however, one reason for this can be traced back to the lower electricity consumption, especially due to the corona pandemic.

It would be as much electricity this year as in the year 2019, renewable energies would have covered a good 44 percent of electricity consumption, it is said. The main reasons for this were favorable weather conditions, such as a windy first quarter and many hours of sunshine Electricity generated by wind farms on the North and Baltic Seas. The expansion targets for offshore wind power have already been raised.

Ambitious EEG amendment required It is the aim of the federal government to increase the share of green electricity up to 2030 to 65 percent. To ensure this, the coalition factions CDU / CSU and SPD are currently negotiating a reform of the Renewable Energy Sources Act.

The previous plans of Economics Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) are repeatedly and severely criticized. The Federal Council complained in November that the expansion paths aimed at in the draft are not sufficient. The Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and environmental organizations criticize that even more complicated procedures are to be expected, which could unnecessarily slow down the expansion of renewable energies and would also make repowering old systems more difficult.

According to the dpa, BDEW boss Kerstin Andreae said that electricity demand would in all likelihood increase significantly by 2030. “If the expansion continues with the handbrake on, we will not be able to achieve the goals we have set. In order to give the expansion of renewables momentum again, the federal government must now adopt an ambitious EEG amendment and the measures so urgently required for the expansion of renewables implement promptly. ”

(kbe)