Record figure: Renewables cover 58 percent of electricity consumption in the first half of the year

The increase compared with the first half of the previous year, which was low in wind, is attributable in particular to higher electricity generation from onshore wind energy (+7.0 percent) and offshore wind energy (+28.3 percent). The first half of 2025 had been comparatively low in wind. Because there was less rainfall, less electricity was generated from hydropower. This saw a decline of 7.7 percent.

Staiß: Renewables as the "sharpest sword" in climate protection

ZSW chief Frithjof Staiß stressed the importance of renewable energy generation for energy prices. The expansion of renewables is also the "sharpest sword" in the fight against climate change. To enable electrification to fully unfold its climate protection potential, electricity must come from renewable energies. The more resilient the economy will also become against energy price shocks.

Staiß also pointed to the geopolitical dimension of the development. The higher the share of renewable energies rises, the more independent we become from imports of fossil energy sources, he said according to a statement. The energy crises of the past months and years were triggered by fossil energy sources, not by renewables.

Heat wave underscores urgency

The ZSW chief also pointed to the immediate consequences of climate change in Germany. The heat wave of the past few days made it very clear how urgently successes in climate protection need to be achieved. The projections by ZSW and BDEW were made available to the German Press Agency in advance; the news was broadcast on 01/07/2026 on the Deutschlandfunk program.

In Germany, an increasing amount of climate-neutral electricity is being used. Generation from wind and sun in particular rose sharply in the first half of the year. With the record figure of 58 percent, the expansion of renewable energies continues the trend of recent years and underscores the growing importance of wind and solar power for Germany's electricity supply.