Together, wind and solar power generated 225 TWh of electricity – accounting for 44% of the total in 2025 – with just 43% coming from fossil fuels.
Germany generated more electricity from wind and solar power than from fossil fuels for the first time in 2025. Wind and solar facilities produced 225 terawatt-hours, representing 44 percent of the country's total electricity, while fossil fuels accounted for 217 terawatt-hours, or 43 percent.
This milestone aligns with a broader European Union trend where wind and solar also surpassed fossil-fuel electricity generation in 2025. Over the past twenty years, onshore wind and solar have expanded quickly as part of Germany's Energiewende policy to move away from nuclear energy and coal.
Germany targets an 80 percent renewable share of electricity consumption by 2030 to establish a mostly climate-neutral power system by 2035. The country also aims to reach net-zero economy-wide emissions by 2045 and eliminate coal entirely no later than 2038, though analysts indicate coal removal could happen ahead of schedule.
To support a grid dominated by renewables following the coal and nuclear exits, the government has promoted gas-power development. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's administration recently passed legislation offering state backing for new gas-fired plants designed to transition to green hydrogen by 2045.
The nation targets 115 gigawatts of onshore wind capacity by 2030 and authorized a record 20.8 gigawatts of new capacity in 2025. Solar generation also hit record highs during the summer of 2026.
At the same time, renewable energy developers face pushback from the far-right Alternative for Germany party, and the green energy sector has criticized proposed grid reforms. These regulatory changes could potentially slow the transition by requiring developers in capacity-constrained areas to waive compensation for curtailed generation to secure automatic grid access.
Originally reported by Carbon Brief on Jul 28, 2026.
