BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - To achieve its self-imposed targets, Germany must significantly accelerate the expansion of renewable energies. According to calculations by the think tank Agora Energiewende, the rate of expansion would have to more than double for solar plants, more than triple for onshore wind farms and even more than eightfold for offshore wind farms. The study, entitled "The energy transition in Germany: state of play 2022," will be published this Wednesday in Berlin and is available to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

"Renewable energy expansion is the foundation for everything else," said Agora's Germany director, Simon Müller. The pace must increase, he said, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions there, but also to meet the growing demand for electricity for industrial processes, for example. Greater use of electricity is expected to push back climate-damaging energy sources - whether for electric cars, heat pumps for heating or in industry.

Overall, according to the report, renewable energies were expanded significantly faster last year than in 2021, by 9.6 gigawatts, 61 percent more than in the previous year. The total installed capacity of renewables at the end of 2022 was 148.2 gigawatts. However, the balance varies greatly depending on the sector.

The largest increase in renewable energies in the past year was in solar installations. According to preliminary data, systems with a total capacity of 7.2 gigawatts were newly commissioned, an increase of 44 percent over the previous year. In order to achieve the capacity target of 215 gigawatts by 2030 set out in the Renewable Energy Sources Act, an average annual increase of 18.6 gigawatts would be required from 2023, Agora calculates.

Onshore wind turbines added 2 gigawatts of capacity last year, about 21 percent more than the year before. This was the third consecutive increase, albeit from a low level. To meet the 2030 target of 115 gigawatts, turbines with a capacity of around 7.1 gigawatts would need to be added each year.

Progress in offshore wind energy has been sluggish, with only 0.3 gigawatts of new capacity in 2022 according to preliminary data. By 2030, the Wind Energy at Sea Act calls for at least 30 gigawatts, which would correspond to an average annual addition of 2.7 gigawatts.

The German government has passed extensive legislative changes to speed up expansion. For example, 2 percent of the total federal land area is to be designated for wind turbines. The states are to make more land available in the coming years. Federal Economics and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) recently said that the development is "pointing in the right direction."

In addition to more areas for wind power, Agora also considers it necessary to designate so-called go-to areas - areas that are considered fundamentally suitable for wind turbines and where this would therefore not have to be determined individually for each new project. It would also have to become easier to build in the outer areas of cities.

The think tank is concerned about Germany's high greenhouse gas emissions and the increased use of coal to compensate for the loss of gas supplies from Russia. Although energy consumption fell by 4.7 percent last year compared with the previous year, partly because of massive price increases for natural gas and electricity, and mild weather, the think tank says that the use of coal and oil has increased. But greater use of coal and oil had negated emissions reductions from energy savings, he said. "In 2022, climate targets have fallen behind due to short-term measures for energy security," Müller criticized. In the current year, he said, the government must reverse the trend.

The German government's Council of Experts had already warned in the fall that Germany was in danger of missing its climate targets for 2030. By then, greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced by 65 percent compared with 1990. In addition, 80 percent of gross electricity consumption is to be covered by renewable sources such as wind and solar power by then./hrz/DP/zb