German Federal Network Agency (BNetzA,) revealed encouraging preliminary figures on the growth of renewable energy in the country by 2023. With an increase of 17 gigawatts (GW) in renewable capacity, the country reached a total of nearly 170 GW, a 12% increase over the previous year. This milestone, driven primarily by solar and wind power, marks significant progress in the country's energy transition.

Solar: The Shining Ascent to a Sustainable Energy Future

Solar capacity growth was the highlight of this breakthrough, rising to 14.1 GW in 2023, nearly double that in 2022. This achievement is attributed to the proliferation of private and commercial solar installations, as well as increased rooftop and ground-mounted capacity. Bavaria led this movement with 3.5 GW of new solar capacity. However, to reach the target of 215 GW by 2030, an annual addition of 19 GW will be required, challenging Germany to maintain this impressive growth rate.

Highlighting the commitment to efficiency, approximately 70% of private solar installations on buildings include battery storage systems. In addition, the flourishing of balcony solar modules accounted for 1.5% of total solar capacity growth in the country, a trend that continues to rise, although not all of these modules are officially registered.

"We have taken a large step forward, especially with regard to growth in solar capacity. Solar growth almost doubled compared with the previous year. These investments are helping to drive the energy transition forward. Last year was the first time Germany generated more than half of its electricity from renewables," said Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur.

Onshore Wind: Steady Steps Towards Ambitious Targets

In spite of 2.9 GW growth in onshore wind capacity by 2023, Germany is below expectations to reach the 2030 targets set at 115 GW of installed capacity. Schleswig-Holstein led the way with 1.1 GW of new capacity, while southern states such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg contributed smaller amounts (together about 0.08 GW of new wind capacity (Bavaria: 0.023 GW; Baden-Württemberg: 0.054 GW).

Despite this challenge, the 80% increase in approvals for onshore wind farms in 2023 provides hope. These approvals point to a total capacity of approximately 8 GW, marking a promising future for the growth of this form of renewable energy in the coming years.

"In terms of onshore wind power, we are not yet where we want to be. However, the large increase in authorizations in 2023 gives me reason for optimism and will enable further capacity growth." Klaus Müller said.

Offshore Wind: Stability on the Energy Horizon

The Arcadis Ost I wind farm, located in the Baltic Sea, became a reality in 2023, with 27 wind turbines and a capacity of 0.3 GW. Although the growth in offshore wind capacity remained similar to the previous year, with the addition of this farm, the total capacity in the Baltic and North Sea stands at 8.5 GW.