Output of renewable plants increases by 12 percent

09.01.2025

Source: E & M powernews

The Federal Network Agency has put a figure on the expansion of renewable electricity generators in 2024. Installed capacity increased by just under 20,000 MW or 12% compared to the previous year.

A total capacity of just under 190,000 MW of electricity generation from renewable sources is currently installed in Germany. This was reported by the Federal Network Agency on January 8, 2025, representing an increase of 12% compared to the previous year. The main contributors to this development are solar and wind energy sources.

The Federal Minister for Economic Affairs, Robert Habeck (Greens), attributes this to the work of the traffic light coalition: "We have consistently simplified and accelerated the approval procedures over the last two years." The expansion and approval dynamics are benefiting from this, which is also setting the course for further expansion in the future. Habeck emphasized that the progress made in the energy transition makes Germany less dependent on fossil fuel imports and is good for the climate.

The expansion of photovoltaics in 2024 exceeded the previous record year of 2023, emphasized the President of the Federal Network Agency. Klaus Müller continued: "These investments are driving the energy transition forward". In the case of onshore wind, permits for almost 15,000 MW of capacity were issued in 2024. "This will pay off in the form of rising expansion figures over the next few years," Müller expects.

Solar systems often with storage

At 16,200 MW, the expansion of solar capacity in 2024 was slightly higher than in the previous year. Two thirds of the expansion took place on rooftops or on buildings and facades, the rest on larger areas. At 4,000 MW, Bavaria installed the most solar capacity in 2024. According to the authority, the currently largest solar plant in Germany was commissioned in Saxony in spring 2024 with 162 MW. This means that the total installed PV capacity in Germany amounted to 99,300 MW at the end of 2024.

Solar systems continue to be frequently combined with storage systems. A slight increase in the average gross output of storage systems can be observed in 2024. In addition, a large storage system was commissioned shortly before the turn of the year. This was realized in Hamm with a capacity of 174 MW. Further commissioning of large storage facilities has already been recorded in the Federal Network Agency's Market Master Data Register (MaStR) for 2025.

Onshore wind

At 2,500 MW, the wind capacity added onshore last year was below the previous year's level. In this figure, the newly commissioned turbines are deducted from the decommissioned turbines. Almost 700 MW of wind energy capacity was registered as permanently decommissioned. More powerful turbines are then often put into operation at the sites as part of repowering. The total installed capacity at the end of 2024 is therefore 63,500 MW. According to plans, this is set to rise to 115,000 MW by 2030.

Wind at sea

Between May and September 2024, 73 new offshore wind turbines went into operation. These include the Baltic Eagle wind farm in the Baltic Sea and the Gode Wind wind farm in the North Sea. A total capacity of 700 MW has thus been put into operation. This represents a doubling of the expansion at sea compared to the previous year. A total capacity of 9,200 MW has now been installed in the Baltic and North Seas.

Biomass

At 110 MW, the expansion of biomass plants remained at the same level as in the previous year. Two large biomethane CHP plants with an electrical and thermal output of 20 megawatts each were commissioned in the Hanover region. A combined heat and power plant in Oberkirch in Baden-Württemberg, which was converted from hard coal to biomass in 2024, also has the same output. This brings the total biomass capacity in operation to around 9,000 MW.

The Federal Network Agency calculated the data for 2024 as a whole based on the registrations in the market master data register. They were estimated for the month of December. A final analysis of the expansion figures will be published in mid-January 2025.

The market master data register for renewable electricity producers is available online.

Author: Susanne Harmsen