Over 50 percent of the gross electricity generated in Germany in 2023 came from renewable sources, with wind power being the most prominent. However, the country is still heavily reliant on fossil fuels for domestic power production. In 2023, some 25 percent of gross electricity was generated using lignite and hard coal, considered the most polluting of energy sources. Natural gas contributed another 15.5 percent.
Coal power plant pollution
Coal plants are the biggest polluters in the European Union. Six out of the 10 most polluting coal-fired power plants in the EU were located in Germany in 2022. Germany's Neurath plant produced some 24 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent that year. Although the government had previously agreed to end its reliance on coal by the year 2030, this fossil fuel made a comeback in 2022 during the global energy crisis.
Germany's move towards renewables
Despite coal's continued contribution to the power mix, Germany's renewable electricity generation has increased by roughly 70 percent in one decade. Growth within the wind power sector has been especially notable. By 2022, onshore wind farms generated almost 100 terawatt-hours of electricity, while offshore farms produced an additional 25 terawatt-hours.
