Germany energy mix & electricity

Electricity generation in Germany reached 500 TWh in 2025. That is about 1.6% of the world total, similar to Saudi Arabia. It is a notably diversified system: no single source supplies more than 27%, with wind power (27.2%), coal (20.6%) and solar power (17.9%) all playing major roles.

The renewable share stood at 59.1%, placing Germany 51st of 158 ranked countries. This puts it 25 points above the world average of 33.8%. It is also above the average for Europe (41.6%). That beats the EU-27 average of 47.7%. Generating one kWh emits about 330 g CO₂e here (world average: 458 g). That makes the grid somewhat cleaner than the world average. On carbon intensity, Germany ranks 69th of 158 from the cleanest.

Over the past decade wind power added more generation than any other source (+55.4 TWh since 2015, plus 14.6 percentage points of share). Coal moved the other way, falling by 169 TWh. Taken together, the renewable share rose by 29.7 percentage points over the decade. Total generation shrank by 139 TWh over the same period. Carbon intensity dropped from 504 to 330 g/kWh, a 35% cut.

Coal is in clear retreat: its share fell from 42.6% in 2015 to 20.6% in 2025, after peaking at 60.2% back in 1986. In absolute terms, coal generation peaked in 1986 at 315 TWh and has since fallen 67%.

Wind and solar together provided 45.1% of electricity (solar 17.9%, wind 27.2%), compared with 17.3% worldwide. Per person, that is 1,066 kWh of solar electricity a year, 3.2× the global average. In solar electricity per person, Germany ranks 11th in the world. Wind adds 1,618 kWh per person, the 7th-highest figure of 156 countries. Solar first passed 1% of the mix in 2009.

Germany generates 5,953 kWh of electricity per resident each year, 1.5 times the global average. Imports cover around 4% of demand: Germany bought 19.8 TWh more electricity than it exported.