Germany is aiming to source all of its electricity demand from renewable energy generation sources by 2035, according to a government draft paper obtained by Reuters.
The new ambition would accelerate the country’s energy transition compared to its previous target to abandon fossil fuels “well before 2040”, said the Reuters news report.
According to the paper, the corresponding amendment to the country’s Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) is ready and the share of wind or solar power should reach 80% by 2030.
By that year, Germany’s solar photovoltaic capacity would more than triple to 200GW, the paper revealed, while onshore wind energy capacity would double to 110GW, with offshore wind reaching 30GW.
Germany has come under pressure from other Western nations to become less dependent on Russian gas, however its plans to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2030 and to shutter nuclear power plants by the end of 2022 have limited its options for generating electricity supplies.
Economy minister Robert Habeck said the accelerated capacity expansion for renewables is a key element in making the country less dependent on Russian fossil fuel supplies.