In 2019, clean wind and renewable energy sources surpassed the use of dirty lignite and coal in Germany.
In a monumental shift for the energy sector, Germany generated more electricity from renewable sources than from all hard coal and lignite-fired power plants combined in 2019. This historic milestone marks a significant step forward in the country's commitment to a greener future.
The renewable energy sector saw a robust performance throughout the year. Photovoltaic (PV) systems generated almost 47 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity, a two percent increase over the previous year. Hydropower also made strides, increasing to nearly 19 billion kWh in 2019, four percent above the drought-stricken levels of 2018.
Preliminary estimates suggest that renewable energy generation as a whole rose by eight percent compared to 2018, with almost 243 billion kWh of electricity being produced. These figures, according to the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the German Association of Energy and Water Management (BDEW), pushed the total renewable electricity generation percentage to 43 percent.
Wind turbines, both on land and at sea, played a crucial role in this achievement. They provided 21 percent of Germany's gross electricity generation in 2019. Onshore wind power increased by 13 percent, while offshore wind power production skyrocketed by over 26 percent. Despite this growth, the expansion of onshore wind energy dropped to its lowest level in about 20 years.
The shift towards renewables was facilitated by a number of key parties, including the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, the German federal government (Ampel coalition), energy companies such as EnBW and Iberdrola, and regulatory bodies like the Federal Network Agency. Political decisions related to funding, spatial planning, and infrastructure optimization have been particularly influential.
The decline in coal consumption can also be attributed to the rise of cheap fossil gas, including imported fracked liquid natural gas (LNG) from the U.S. This has made gas power plant production much more cost-effective than coal, displacing it from the market. It's worth noting that electricity generation from gas has significantly less CO2 emissions than generation from lignite, requiring fewer CO2 certificates.
However, the future of coal electricity depends on the price of electricity on the exchange and the price of CO2. The consumption of lignite and hard coal in Germany decreased by one fifth each in 2019. RWE, an energy conglomerate, saw a massive drop in electricity production from lignite through the first nine months of 2019, partly due to mass protests and the prevention of the destruction of the Hambach Forest.
Despite these positive developments, the deceleration of the electrical power system's transformation could endanger the overall Energiewende and make the target of a 65 percent share of renewables by 2030 a distant prospect. Under German and EU law, power plants and factories require a certificate for every ton of climate-damaging gases they belch into the atmosphere.
As we look towards the future, it's clear that Germany is making significant strides in its transition to renewable energy. The record amount of electricity produced in the first half of 2019 serves as a testament to this progress. However, maintaining this momentum and achieving the ambitious targets set for the future will require continued investment, innovation, and commitment from all stakeholders.
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