Energy supply in Germany - statistics & facts
Energy supply in Germany is based on a major sector which relies on both domestic production and foreign imports. Primary energy self-sufficiency in Germany was at 100 percent for three leading resources: brown coal or lignite, nuclear power, and renewable energy. The 100 percent level means that all of these resources can be supplied from within the country without reliance on imports.
Lignite is used primarily to generate electricity and heat in power plants, though also in transport and agriculture. As for nuclear energy, Germany used to have operational nuclear facilities. The German government had first announced plans to keep two plants on standby until spring 2023 in case of an emergency in energy supply. The last three nuclear reactors in the country were ultimately shut down in the middle of April that year.
Energy consumption in Germany is largely based on fossil fuels such as crude oil and natural gas. Heating oil consumption in private households in Germany showed a downward trend since the late 1990s after peaking in 1997, and was at its lowest in 2018. Natural gas consumption, meanwhile, generally increased in recent years, with around 75.7 billion cubic meters recorded in 2022. Due to less gas being supplied from Russia during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, national gas storage levels are being closely monitored. The situation has put increased focus on finding alternative sources for heating and electricity production. The German government is reopening closed coal-fired power plants in the country, in accordance with the national Energy Security Act (Energiesicherungsgesetz). The strategy is to use these plants for electricity generation, while plants powered by gas can be saved for the purpose of heating. A number of coal-fired plants had already been shut down for the so-called phasing out to keep the future global temperature increase within the declared goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Germany's energy supply is closely connected to its energy transition plans. Reopening coal-fired power plants, for example, while providing a current solution for covering electricity supply in the country, may delay reaching climate protection targets. Withdrawing from using coal is planned to be completed until 2038. Renewable energy use is key for a successful transition, but this also requires building new power plants or systems to generate energy from sun, air, wind and water. Some steps have already been made in this direction, with an increasing number of solar photovoltaic plants operating in Germany. The energy supply in Germany therefore aims to rely on sustainable domestic production in the future.
Energy consumption in Germany is largely based on fossil fuels such as crude oil and natural gas. Heating oil consumption in private households in Germany showed a downward trend since the late 1990s after peaking in 1997, and was at its lowest in 2018. Natural gas consumption, meanwhile, generally increased in recent years, with around 75.7 billion cubic meters recorded in 2022. Due to less gas being supplied from Russia during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, national gas storage levels are being closely monitored. The situation has put increased focus on finding alternative sources for heating and electricity production. The German government is reopening closed coal-fired power plants in the country, in accordance with the national Energy Security Act (Energiesicherungsgesetz). The strategy is to use these plants for electricity generation, while plants powered by gas can be saved for the purpose of heating. A number of coal-fired plants had already been shut down for the so-called phasing out to keep the future global temperature increase within the declared goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Germany's energy supply is closely connected to its energy transition plans. Reopening coal-fired power plants, for example, while providing a current solution for covering electricity supply in the country, may delay reaching climate protection targets. Withdrawing from using coal is planned to be completed until 2038. Renewable energy use is key for a successful transition, but this also requires building new power plants or systems to generate energy from sun, air, wind and water. Some steps have already been made in this direction, with an increasing number of solar photovoltaic plants operating in Germany. The energy supply in Germany therefore aims to rely on sustainable domestic production in the future.
