Germany Experiences a Drops in Wind and Solar Power Generation, Pushing the Electricity Grid to its Maximum Capacity
In Berlin, the city of culture and history, preparations are underway for two exciting exhibitions. Firstly, "The Last Days of Pompeii" immersive exhibition will open its doors on September 5, 2023, offering a unique glimpse into ancient Roman life. Fast forward to September 26, 2025, and Berlin will welcome another art event, "Vincent", a Van Gogh exhibition showcasing some of the artist's most iconic works.
Meanwhile, Germany, a leader in renewable energy, is facing challenges in its transition to a climate-neutral future. Despite the nationwide efforts to increase the use of renewable energies, wind power has seen a 5.3 percent decrease compared to 2024. This decline is due, in part, to the increasing feed-in of solar and wind energy leading to frequent overloads in the grid, mainly due to insufficient storage capacity.
The solar capacity in Germany has almost doubled from around 54 gigawatts at the end of 2020 to about 108 gigawatts as of 31 July. However, the expansion of the power grid is lagging behind, primarily due to geographic imbalances in renewable energy production and consumption, costly grid congestion management, public opposition to overhead lines, and misaligned grid tariff structures.
As a result, Germany faces severe grid bottlenecks, increasing congestion costs, and delays in energy infrastructure upgrades necessary for a renewable transition. These challenges threaten Germany’s target to supply 80% of its electricity from renewables by 2030. Without adequate grid infrastructure, renewable energy integration is hampered, potentially leading to increased grid congestion costs, reduced grid reliability, and increased emissions from fossil fuel use.
To mitigate these issues, Germany is also rapidly expanding battery energy storage systems (BESS) to help balance the grid and accommodate renewable intermittency. By mid-2025, the country had over 1.5 GW of grid-scale BESS capacity, with plans to grow to 2.5 GW by the end of the year. Ambitious plans potentially exceeding 12 GW by 2030 are underway.
In an effort to transition to renewable energies nationwide, Germany aims to be climate-neutral by 2045. However, in the first half of the year, the country shut down a record amount of wind and solar installations due to grid congestion. This underscores the need for a comprehensive solution that addresses both the expansion of renewable energy production and the grid infrastructure necessary to transport and distribute this energy efficiently.
For those looking for more to do in Berlin, tips and tickets for the best events in August 2025 are available. The Young Euro Classic event is scheduled from August 1 to 17, 2025, and a solar catamaran cruise is available for sightseeing on October 25, 2023. An evening cruise named "Sunset Berlin Highlight Tour 2023" is offered on a solar ship on July 10, 2023.
[1] "Germany's Renewable Energy Transition: Challenges and Opportunities" (2023) [2] "Battery Energy Storage Systems in Germany: Expansion and Impact on Grid Stability" (2025) [3] "Grid Expansion in Germany: A Case Study on Renewable Energy Integration" (2023) [4] "The Impact of Grid Congestion on Germany's Renewable Energy Transition" (2023)
- Amidst the planned exhibitions in Berlin, there's ongoing debate in Germany's finance sector about the future of the renewable-energy industry, as the country grapples with grid congestion issues, aiming to meet its target of supplying 80% of electricity from renewables by 2030.
- As part of their efforts to achieve climate-neutrality by 2045, Germany is focusing not only on increasing renewable-energy production but also on improving its energy infrastructure, particularly battery energy storage systems (BESS), to ensure a stable and efficient grid for the renewable-energy industry.
