In Q1 of 2019, wind turbines and photovoltaic systems together generated a gross 49.4 billion kWh of electricity – up almost 25% on Q1 of 2018 (39.6 billion kWh) and a record for this time of year. This is according to calculations by the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) . Unseasonably sunny and windy weather conditions are largely behind the increase. The electricity produced from January to March inclusive could meet the needs of Baden-Württemberg for almost nine months, says the report.

It notes that the largest absolute contribution was provided by onshore wind at 36.2 billion kWh (Q1 2018: 28.9 billion kWh), with the biggest rise coming from offshore wind – a third more than in the same period last year at 6.8 billion kWh (Q1 2018: 5.1 billion kWh). At 6.4 billion kWh, photovoltaic systems managed an increase of 15% over the previous year (Q1 2018: 5.59 billion kWh). According to the experts, however, this is still not enough to achieve the German government’s climate protection targets; that would require significantly more green energy and CO2 reduction efforts in the transport, building and agriculture sectors.