Germany's wind and solar outpace fossil fuels in 2025
In 2025 wind and solar together supplied 44 % of Germany’s electricity, overtaking fossil fuels by one percentage point. Since the 2000 renewable‑energy law, the share of generation from wind and solar has risen by about 42 percentage points, while coal’s share fell to 21 %, down from more than half of the mix in earlier years. Nuclear power still contributed 6.6 % of output in 2022.
The European Union also recorded wind and solar generating 30 % of electricity last year, surpassing fossil fuels for the first time (29 %). Analysts expect Germany could phase out coal before 2038.
Despite the renewable surge, Germany faces persistent negative electricity prices. Commercial curtailment rose 20 % in the first half of 2026, from 1,216 GWh to 1,463 GWh, while hours of negative prices dropped from 389 to 299. Under the Solar Peak Act, new renewable assets lose their subsidy top‑up as soon as wholesale prices turn negative, creating a stronger incentive to switch off excess generation.
Entities: Ember · Energy Institute · Erneuerbare‑Energien‑Gesetz · Germany · Montel · coal · nuclear power · solar power · wind power
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] In the EU, wind and solar generated 30 % of electricity last year, exceeding fossil fuels at 29 %. (12e81a79-21e1-4e11-9300-b883938703f8,9c31739e-3bf6-42f6-adbe-c17bd0ab04ff)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Germany could phase out coal before 2038. (All articles)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Under Germany’s Solar Peak Act, newly built renewable assets lose their guaranteed subsidy top‑up as soon as wholesale prices turn negative. (9c31739e-3bf6-42f6-adbe-c17bd0ab04ff)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Wind and solar generated 44 % of Germany’s electricity in 2025, overtaking fossil fuels by one percentage point. (All articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Coal’s share of Germany’s electricity fell to 21 % in 2025, down from more than half in earlier years. (All articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Commercial curtailment in Germany increased by 20 % in the first half of 2026, from 1,216 GWh to 1,463 GWh. (f168c99c-87b6-47aa-8106-9a490d3a9f39,f3d0c020-a52c-4916-849f-12d26444b396,9c31739e-3bf6-42f6-adbe-c17bd0ab04ff)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Hours of negative electricity prices in Germany fell from 389 to 299 in the first half of 2026. (f168c99c-87b6-47aa-8106-9a490d3a9f39,f3d0c020-a52c-4916-849f-12d26444b396,9c31739e-3bf6-42f6-adbe-c17bd0ab04ff)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Nuclear power contributed 6.6 % of Germany’s electricity in 2022. (All articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] In 2025 wind and solar generated 44 % of Germany’s electricity, overtaking fossil fuels by one percentage point. (All articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Germany may phase out coal before 2038. (All articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Since 2000, the share of electricity from wind and solar in Germany rose by about 42 percentage points. (All articles)
- [● 4 SOURCES] In the EU, wind and solar generated more electricity than fossil fuels for the first time last year (30 % vs 29 %). (All articles)