German renewables on track to reach 50pc this year

The share of German renewables output in the country's generation mix could be at around 50pc this year, supported by higher capacity, favourable weather conditions and lower demand owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The share of the country's renewable output in the country's total power generation currently stands at 52.4pc, data from German institute Fraunhofer ISE show. This is already 6.3 percentage points higher than the levels seen in 2019.

A number of factors have supported this. German wind power capacity has increased by 870MW between January and August this year to be at around 55GW as of the end of August. The sector forecasts cumulative onshore wind additions of 1.5GW this year. Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations have totalled 52.39GW as of the end of August, up by 2.46GW since December last year.

Weather conditions have also been favourable, mostly during the first quarter of this year. Strong wind levels supported wind output to account for around 45pc of the entire generation mix in February, lifting total renewables share to 61pc. Solar output also posted record highs this year, reaching a 20.5pc share of total power generation in May.

And the decline in power demand from April through June, given strict restrictions because of the pandemic, left a lower share of residual consumption to be met.

German wind power output has averaged 15.5GW so far this month, which compares with an average 16.07GW for the month in the past three years. But wind output averaged 14.2GW in the past three Novembers and 20.34GW in the past three Decembers. Assuming average wind levels for the next two months, the German share of renewables could end the year narrowly above 50pc for the first time.

By Jacqueline Echevarria