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Germany's Renewable Electricity Share Hits Record 58% in H1 2026

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Renewable energy sources covered a record 58% of Germany's electricity consumption in the first half of 2026, up almost three percentage points from the same period a year earlier, the German Association of Energy and Water Industries, or BDEW, said in a statement on Wednesday.

The record figure is above the 55.8% recorded for all of 2025, BDEW said.

According to preliminary estimates by BDEW and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Wurttemberg, renewable power plants generated 152.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity between January and June.

The increase was driven mainly by stronger wind generation following a period of weak wind in the first half of 2025. Onshore wind output rose 7% from a year earlier, while offshore wind generation jumped 28.3%. Solar photovoltaic generation increased 3.7%, biomass output edged up 0.6%, and hydropower generation fell 7.7% due to lower rainfall.

Germany also continued expanding renewable generation capacity. Solar installations increased by 8.3 gigawatts during the first six months of the year, exceeding additions in the same period of 2025.

Onshore wind capacity grew by 2.5 GW, compared with 2.2 GW a year earlier, while offshore wind additions rose to 0.9 GW from 0.5 GW.

Gross electricity generation rose 4% over the year to 263.5 billion kWh in the first half, while gross electricity consumption increased to 262.4 billion kWh from 260.9 billion kWh.

Renewables accounted for 57.7% of gross electricity generation and 58% of gross electricity consumption, the latter being the standard measure used under European regulations and for Germany's renewable energy targets.

BDEW Chief Executive Kerstin Andreae said the growth reflected sustained investment by the energy sector but called on the government to quickly advance planned amendments to the Renewable Energy Sources Act and the Offshore Wind Energy Act, saying regulatory certainty was needed to maintain investment and meet expansion targets.

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