Germany produced 81 TWh of electricity from renewable sources in the first half of 2014, representing around 31 % of the country’s net electricity production, according to analysis from the Fraunhofer Institute.
Solar and wind power were the largest renewable energy contributors; generating 45 TWh in the first six months of the year. Solar power production was up 28 % compared to the first half of 2013, with wind power growing by 19 %.
Electricity production from nuclear power plants (45 TWh) remained on the level of the previous years. Brown coal fired power plants produced 69.7 TWh – about 4 % less than in the first half of 2013 (the record year), but production remained about 5 % above the average over the last 10 years. Production from hard coal-fired plant stood at 50.9 TWh, down 11 % on 2013, but again at a similar level to 2010-2012. Gas-fired plants produced 25 % less electricity than in the first half of 2013, and 50% less than in 2010.
Germany’s electricity exports have increased from 14.4 TWh in the first half of last year to 18 TWh in the first half of 2014. If this trend continues until the end of the year, Germany will achieve a third record in a row in electricity exports, according to the analysis. The bulk of the exports were sent to the Netherlands, followed by Austria, Switzerland and Poland. However, the Netherlands acts as a transit country for Belgium and the UK, Switzerland transmits electricity mainly to Italy.
