Wind and solar overtake fossil fuels in Germany for the first time
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Wind and solar overtook fossil fuels in Germany's electricity mix for the first time.
The milestone marks the first time renewable sources surpassed fossil fuels in Germany's power generation. The shift reflects ongoing growth in wind and solar capacity, alongside declining coal and gas use. Germany continues to phase out nuclear and fossil generation, with renewables now supplying the largest share of electricity. The data underscores the country's progress toward its energy transition goals.
What commenters are saying
Commenters largely celebrated the milestone but cautioned against overgeneralizing. The top comment noted that when counting all energy (not just electricity) globally, fossil fuels still dominate, citing Our World in Data. Others countered that primary energy comparisons mislead because fossil fuel combustion is inefficient (~20-30% useful work) while electricity is highly efficient. A split emerged: those arguing renewables are making exponential progress and those stressing the global scale of remaining fossil use. Several comments discussed heat storage as a complementary technology for industrial processes.