Indicator: Greenhouse gas emissions avoided by renewable energies

A figure shows the trend for greenhouse gas emissions avoided by the use of renewables for power, heat and transport. 28 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents were avoided in 1990, and 237 million tonnes in 2022.Click to enlarge
Greenhouse gas emissions avoided through the use of renewable energy sources
Source: German Environment Agency based on AGEE-Stat Figure as PDF

Table of Contents

 

At a glance

  • Renewables are increasingly replacing fossil fuels in the fields of electricity, heat and transport.
  • The annual greenhouse gas emissions saved in this way were more than eight times as high in 2022 than in 1990.
  • The Federal Government intends to considerably expand the share of renewables to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
 

Environmental importance

All economic processes involve the use of energy. Currently fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas are the primary energy sources in Germany and internationally. Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, which are the driving force behind global climate change.

One important way of protecting the climate is therefore to switch to cleaner forms of energy, particularly renewables. The indicator shows the contribution made by renewable energy sources to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving climate protection targets.

Using energy more efficiently also plays an important role in achieving climate targets. However, measuring overall energy efficiency is a complex matter. The indicator ‘energy productivity’ provides a general measure for the energy efficiency of a national economy.

 

Assessing the development

The use of renewables has expanded significantly in Germany in recent decades. In 2022 237 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents were avoided through the use of renewables. These emissions would otherwise have been generated through the use of fossil fuels. That was more then eight times as much as the savings in 1990. Electricity generation from renewables accounted for almost 76 % of the avoided emissions in the year 2021. 19 % could be attributed to the heating sector. 4 % came from the transport sector though the use of biofuels and electricity from renewable sources.

With its 'Climate Action Programme 2030', the German government aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 % below 1990 levels by 2030. According to the ’Climate Change Act 2021’ emissions are to be reduced to zero by 2045. Renewable energies in particular are expected to make an important contribution to achieving these targets. An assessment of Germany's renewables share and renewables targets can be found in indicators "Share of renewables in gross final energy consumption" and “Share of renewables in gross electricity consumption”. With the expansion of renewables, the greenhouse gas emissions avoided by them will also continue to increase significantly.

 

Methodology

The calculation of the indicator is based on the assumption that energy generated from renewable energy sources today would otherwise have been provided by a fossil energy mix. The emissions saved through that renewable energy are illustrated in the indicator. It also includes emissions from renewable energy sources occurring for example during production, installation or maintenance of renewable energy facilities (production chain). A detailed description of the calculation method can be found in the publication ‘Emissionsbilanz erneuerbarer Energieträger 2021‘ (UBA 2022, in German only).

More detailed information: 'Erneuerbare Energien - Vermiedene Treibhausgase' (in German only).