Germany’s fossil electricity generation falls nearly half in eight years

Germany is generating much less electricity from fossil fuels than it did eight years ago. Output fell from 174.6 terawatt-hours in the first half of 2018 to 94.2 in the first half of 2026: a reduction of about 46%.

Clean Energy Wire reports that renewable generation grew by roughly a quarter over that period. Wind was the country’s biggest electricity source in the first six months of this year, with solar also making a substantial contribution.

The federal statistics office, Destatis, puts renewables’ share at 59.1%. Its figures cover electricity produced domestically and fed into the public grid, excluding power consumed directly by households or factories that generate it themselves.

Progress is uneven. Gas generation rose 6.4% compared with the first half of 2025, and Germany still plans new gas plants to back up renewables. Electricity is also only part of the wider energy system.

Even with those limits, the longer comparison shows a substantial shift: more electricity from renewable sources, alongside much less generation from fossil fuels.

Sources

• Clean Energy Wire — Germany nearly halves fossil fuel use for electricity between 2018 and 2026
• Destatis — Stromerzeugung im 1. Halbjahr 2026: 6,5 % mehr Strom aus erneuerbaren Energien