Germany sets record with 78% of its electricity needs covered by renewables

Germany set a new clean energy national record on Saturday by meeting 78 per cent of the day’s electricity demand with renewable sources, according to energy analysts.

German energy expert Craig Morris found that a stormy day across northern Europe combined with sunny conditions in southern Germany resulted in record generation.

Renewables produced a total of 47.9 GW of power with wind and solar energy producing 40.65 GW, biomass making up 4.85 GW and hydropower contributing 2.4 GW.

The record occurred at a time when peak energy demand was 61.1 GW on Saturday afternoon.

Initial figures from Germany energy policy firm Agora Energiewende indicate that renewables made up 79 per cent of domestic power consumption on 25 July.

Renewables covered 27.8 per cent of Germany’s power consumption last year, up from 6.2 per cent in 2000.

Germany’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions fell for the first time in three years in 2014, a 4.3 per cent year-over-year drop.

According Agora Energiewende, GHG emissions in Germany are currently at their lowest level since 1990.

Germany’s Energiewende renewable energy policy requires the phasing out of nuclear energy by 2022 and cutting greenhouse gases at least 80 per cent by 2050.

The government is also aiming to at least double the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix by 2035.