WIESBADEN (dpa-AFX) - Wind power, solar energy, biogas: In 2025, as in the previous two years, the majority of electricity generated in Germany came from renewable sources. Last year, 58.6 percent of the electricity fed into the grid was generated from renewables, according to calculations by the Federal Statistical Office. Solar power hit a record high.
Overall, the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources remained almost unchanged year-on-year at 256.9 billion kilowatt hours, while its share of total electricity generation dropped by just under one percentage point.
In contrast, conventional energy sources saw an increase, especially coal and natural gas: these supplied 181.3 billion kilowatt hours (up 3.6 percent), accounting for a 41.4 percent share.
Most Electricity from Wind Power — Solar Sets New Record
Despite a decrease in volume, wind power was once again the most important energy source, contributing 30 percent to total electricity production. Meanwhile, electricity fed into the grid from photovoltaics rose significantly in 2025 compared to the previous year, increasing by 17.4 percent to 70.1 billion kilowatt hours.
As a result, solar power accounted for 16 percent of total domestic production last year. Both the amount produced and the share of electricity from photovoltaics reached their highest annual levels since records began in 2018, according to statisticians in Wiesbaden.
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche (CDU) intends to stop state subsidies for new, small solar installations in the future, arguing that they are economically viable for consumers even without support. However, this has not yet been agreed upon within the coalition.
Record Levels Also for Electricity from Natural Gas
Natural gas also reached record levels: last year, 70.6 billion kilowatt hours of electricity were generated from this source, 10.2 percent more than in 2024. With a 16.1 percent share of total electricity generation, natural gas narrowly overtook photovoltaics as an energy source.
Coal was the second most important energy source for German electricity production in 2025. Electricity generated from coal-fired power plants amounted to 96.8 billion kilowatt hours, accounting for just over one fifth (22.1 percent) of the total. In 2024, the share was slightly higher at 22.5 percent.
Germany plans to gradually phase out coal-fired power generation by 2038, which will result in the loss of so-called secured capacity. The federal government has decided to build new gas-fired power plants to ensure a stable electricity supply when there is insufficient wind and solar power.
According to an analysis by the state-owned development bank KfW, wind and solar energy fail to generate electricity on only 15 days a year. On average over the past three years, unfavorable conditions for both energy sources occurred together on just four percent of all days in Germany each year./ben/DP/mis
