The Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning

Type: Specialist article Date 05 May 2023 Electricity derived from renewable energy

The Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations – in short SDGs – also refer as part of the 2030 Agenda to electricity derived from renewable energy sources. SDG 7.b thus covers the installed capacity of renewable energy electricity for both emerging economies and developing countries (SDG 7.b.1), as well as for developed countries (SDG 7.b.2).

Spatial and urban situation

Data of the European Statistical Office (EUROSTAT) and the Federal Network Agency for Electricity, Gas, Telecommunication, Post and Railway in Germany (Bundesnetzagentur) enable a mapping of the electricity generating capacity derived from renewable energy sources in Europe and in Germany. In both cases, the reference population is one million inhabitants. Using a five-scale colour range to illustrate the net nominal and net capacity respectively, reveals the Nordic Countries as having the highest capacity in Europe derived from renewable energy sources, with over 3,200 megawatts per million inhabitants (shown in red). The United Kingdom and the countries in Eastern Europe, however, show the lowest capacity with less than 800 megawatts (shown in yellow). In countries in Southern and Western Europe, between 800 and 1,600 megawatts of electricity are derived from renewable energy sources per million inhabitants (shown in orange). Germany occupies part of the middle of the field, with a capacity of between 1,600 and 3,200 megawatts per million inhabitants. Data predominantly refer to 2021.

Zooming in on Germany turns the homogenous colouring into a regionally very diverse pattern of yellow, organ and red colours: In 2022, the net nominal capacity is less than 800 megawatts of installed capacity per million inhabitants in urban areas and in particularly large urban environments lower than in predominantly rural regions with a capacity of over 5,400 megawatts. There and especially in coastal region, the potential for photovoltaic and wind power plants is greater than in metropolitan areas due to the topography. In particular, the roofs of existing and new buildings in large urban areas are not yet extensively used for installing photovoltaic panels. The Renewable Energy Law, which came into force on 1 January 2023, is aimed at easing the situation.

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Publications

Müller, A.; Milbert, A.; Schmidt-Seiwert, V.; Binot, R.; Kiel, L.; Kundu, D.; Debnath, T.; Chakravorty, S.; Kumar Das G., 2023: India, Germany and Europe. A Spatial Perspective at SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy. Publisher: BBSR – Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung. BBSR-Analysen KOMPAKT 01/2023
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Müller, A.; Milbert, A.; Schmidt-Seiwert, V.; Binot, R.; Kiel, L.; Kundu, D.; Debnath, T.; Chakravorty, S.; Kumar Das G., 2023: Deutschland, Europa und Indien. SDG 7 „Bezahlbare und saubere Energie” in räumlicher Perspektive. Publisher: BBSR – Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung. BBSR-Analysen KOMPAKT 02/2023
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Maps

The map of Germany illustrates the installed renewable energy generating capacity in megawatts per million inhabitants in the associations of municipalities in 2022. Installed renewable electricity capacity in Germany Installed renewable electricity capacity in Germany

Contact us

  • Antonia Milbert
    Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development
    Division SR 3 "Menschen und Regionen im Wandel – Subjektive und objektive Indikatoren"
    Phone: +49 30 18401-2256 and +49 355 121004-6801
    Email: antonia.milbert@bbr.bund.de

  • Dr. André Müller
    Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development
    Division RS 3 "European Spatial and Urban Development"
    Phone: +49 228 99401-2341
    Email: andre.mueller@bbr.bund.de

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