Renewables in Germany and other energy sources summary 2022

Published: Updated: Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

What was the position of renewable energy sources in Germany’s energy mix in 2022? Did they play a significant role, or did they become less prominent? Additionally, why have carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions gone up?

What is the level of renewable energy in Germany?

Based on information provided by the Federal Association for Water and Energy Management (BDEW), renewable energy sources held a strong position in Germany. In 2022, they accounted for nearly half of the country’s energy requirements.

The statistics indicate that renewable energy sources made up 47% of Germany’s energy mix in 2022, marking a 5% increase from the preceding year (2021 recorded a 42% share). This significant presence of renewable energy sources reflects a series of well-planned choices and the steady realization of objectives, such as the energy transition.

Alarming CO2 emissions

BDEW’s initial calculations suggest that there will be a slight rise in Germany’s CO2 emissions for the year 2022.

This setback is concerning for the climate. Therefore, it’s crucial to take all possible actions to quickly regain our momentum. We require a swifter rate of growth in renewable energy adoption, network expansion, and the development of the hydrogen market.

Kerstin Andreae, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of BDEW

The existing level of CO2 emissions might be not only unsettling but also unexpected, especially considering the increasing use of renewable sources. But should we actually be surprised? Let’s delve into the role of coal to uncover the answer.

Is the share of coal in Germany increasing or decreasing?

During a period when the use of renewable energy sources (RES) was on the rise in Germany, there was an unexpected simultaneous increase in CO2 emissions from the energy sector. The causes behind this phenomenon are well understood. Despite the growing presence of RES in the energy mix, the use of lignite and hard coal also saw an uptick, and the associated consequence of this was the release of CO2 emissions. According to data from BDEW, the proportion of coal in the energy mix went up from 28.3% to 31.9% in 2022.

The organization attributes this resurgence in coal’s role within Germany’s energy mix to the reentry of coal-fired power plants into the energy market. Additionally, it’s important to note that in 2021, nuclear power plants were shut down, which also had notable impacts on the electricity market.

What about the gas?

Thankfully, the reliance on gas is gradually diminishing. Russian gas supplies dropped by 20% in the previous year. Furthermore, the overall contribution of gas to Germany’s energy mix plummeted by a substantial 14.8% in 2022 compared to the preceding year. Several factors contribute to this shift:

  • Favorable weather conditions played a role.
  • The swift escalation in prices made conservation a necessity.
  • The resurgence of coal-fired power plants in the market and the rise in coal’s proportion in the energy mix also contributed to this trend.

Sources:

Renewables again provide the most energy in Germany , biznesalert.pl

By 2030, 80 percent of energy in Germany is to come from RES , forsal.pl

RES dominated in Germany in the first half of the year , biznesalert.pl

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