Indicator: Share of renewables in gross final energy consumption | Umweltbundesamt

At a glance

• Gross final energy consumption includes all types of final energy consumption by end consumers, including electricity, district heating, fuels and fuels for heat generation.
• As part of the updated EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) targets, the German target has been set at 41% by 2030.
• Achieving this target will require new measures and a significant acceleration in the expansion of renewable energy in all sectors.

Environmental importance

Switching the energy supply to renewable energy sources is one of the most important strategies in the fight against the climate crisis. An important side effect is that Germany can largely supply itself with renewable energy sources. The expansion of renewable energies therefore reduces dependence on raw material imports.

In the public debate, the conversion of electricity generation to renewable energy sources plays a central role. The consumption of fuels for transportation and fuels for heat generation accounts for around 80 % of final energy consumption. Gross final energy consumption according to the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) includes all energy consumption by end consumers. In addition to final energy consumption, it also includes the power plants' own consumption and transmission losses.

Assessing the development

The share of renewables in gross final energy consumption has risen significantly since 2004, albeit at a considerably lower rate than the share of electricity consumption (see indicator "Renewable energies - share of gross electricity consumption"). The reason for this is the significantly slower development of the switch to renewables in the heating/cooling and transport sectors.

With the update of the "National Energy and Climate Plan" (NECP)2024, Germany has committed to increase the share of renewable energies to 41% by 2030. Previously, the target was 30%, but was raised as part of the EU's recently revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Across the EU, the share of renewables in gross final energy consumption is targeted to rise to between 42.5 and 45% by 2030. This means that all EU countries will have to achieve similarly ambitious targets as Germany, depending on their starting position. However, development in Germany is not yet on track. In order to achieve the target, the uptake of renewable energies must be significantly accelerated.

Methodology

The indicator compares renewable electricity and district heating, biofuels and other renewable energy used in Germany on the basis of renewable energy sources with total gross final energy consumption. Gross final energy consumption includes the final energy consumption of end consumers as well as transmission losses and power plants' own consumption. The data used are provided by the Working Group on Renewable Energy Statistics (AGEE-Stat, in German only) and Working Group on Energy Balances (AGEB).

More detailed information (in German only): 'Energieverbrauch nach Energieträgern, Sektoren und Anwendungen'.