Brief overview
- The gross final energy consumption According to preliminary calculations, Germany's [metric/value] in 2025 was around 2.333 TWh – a slight increase compared to the previous low of 2,291 TWh in 2024, due in part to weather conditions.
- The share of renewable energies in BEEV rose to in 2025 23,8 % (2024: 22.5 %) – Since 2005 (7.2 %), the figure has more than tripled.
- The three consumption sectors are developing very differently: In 2025, the share of renewable energy in electricity will be 55.1 %, in heat 19.0 %, and in transportation just 8.0 %.
- Germany has committed in the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) to increase the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption by 2030 to 41 % to increase.
What is the gross final energy consumption?
Gross final energy consumption records the amount of energy that is actually used in the consuming sectors—industry, transport, private households, and commerce, trade, and services (GHS). Transmission and distribution losses in electricity and heat grids as well as the energy sector's own consumption are also included. However, conversion losses that occur during the generation of electricity and heat in power plants (e.g., waste heat from fossil-fueled power plants) are not included. These flow exclusively into the Primary energy consumption (PEC) one.
The BEEV is determined using an EU-wide uniform calculation methodology set out in the Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (RED, currently RED III) is defined. This standardization makes the BEEV the central benchmark for European and national renewable energy targets, as it is comparable across countries.
Demarcation from PEV, BSV, and BSE
| Key figure | Designation | Reference |
| PEV | primary energy consumption | Total energy input before transformation, all sectors and energy carriers |
| BEEV | gross final energy consumption | Energy that actually reaches consumers, incl. energy-related self-consumption |
| BSV | gross electricity consumption | Exclusively the electricity sector: total generated and imported electricity before grid and conversion losses |
| BSE | gross electricity generation | Electricity sector only: domestically generated electricity volume, before own consumption of the power plants |
The BEEV is, so to speak, the bridge between the four important key figures. It encompasses not only electricity (relation to GFE/GFC), but also heat, cooling, and transport fuels. The gross final energy consumption is therefore always lower than the PEC, as the conversion losses of power plants are excluded. A complete overview with calculation logic and sample data for all four key figures can be found in the Review article on the German energy balance.
Development of gross final energy consumption in Germany
Two trends overlap in these two charts. On the one hand, absolute BEEV has tended to decline for about 15 years—driven by energy efficiency, structural change in industry, and, most recently, a weak economy. On the other hand, the share of renewable energies in remaining consumption is continuously increasing and doing so much faster than total consumption is falling. The slight increase in BEEV in 2025 compared to the previous year's low is largely weather-related (cooler year, higher heat demand) and does not represent a trend reversal.
Within the BEEV, the three sectors are developing at very different speeds:
- Power: Renewable energy share in 2025 at 55.1 %—the sector that has grown by far the most since 2000 (6.3 %).
- Heat and cold: The share of renewable energy in 2025 is projected to be 19.0 %, with a noticeable increase in renewable heat supply from about 200 to just under 210 billion kWh compared to 2024.
- Traffic: Renewable energy share in 2025 at just 8.0 % (2024: 7.4 %)—still the sector with the lowest penetration rate, despite an increase in biofuels (+9 %) and renewable electricity in transportation (+12 %).
Regulatory framework of the BEEV: The 41 percent target in the NECP
With the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) updated in 2024, Germany has committed to the EU to increase the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption to at least 41 % by 2030. Starting from 23.8 % in 2025, this share must therefore increase significantly once again. The European RED III Directive sets a target for the EU as a whole of 42,5 % prior to this. Individual member states set their own national targets in their NECPs, adapted to their starting point.
Particularly critical for achieving the goal are the heating and transport sectors. While the electricity sector is rapidly approaching the EEG target of 80 %, the heating and transportation sectors are structurally lagging behind. According to the Federal Environment Agency, the 41 percent target will be difficult to achieve without a significantly accelerated expansion of heat pumps, district heating from renewable sources, and alternative propulsion systems in the transportation sector.
Classification: What the BEEV means for companies with PV and storage systems
The BEEV makes visible where the greatest unused potentials for the transition to renewable energies lie. These are not primarily electricity, but heat and transport. For companies that already operate or are planning PV and battery storage systems, this has two implications. First, sector coupling—such as using excess PV electricity for heat pumps or electric vehicle fleets—becomes the decisive lever to reduce their own BEEV footprint. Second, as the electrification of heat and transport progresses, a growing portion of the BEEV previously covered by fossil fuels is shifting to the electricity sector. This area in particular benefits greatly from flexibility through storage. How this shift is specifically reflected in gross electricity consumption is described in the article on gross electricity consumption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between primary energy consumption and gross final energy consumption?
Primary energy consumption (PEC) records the total energy input before any conversion, including conversion losses in power plants. Gross final energy consumption (GFEC), on the other hand, only reflects the energy that actually reaches the consuming sectors—and is therefore always significantly lower than PEC.
What was the gross final energy consumption in Germany in 2025?
According to preliminary calculations, the BEEV for 2025 was approximately 2,333 TWh, with renewable energy accounting for 23.8 %.
Why is the share of renewable energies in transport so much lower than in electricity?
While wind and solar power plants in the electricity sector have been specifically subsidized for decades and are technically mature, the transportation sector remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Although electromobility and biofuels are growing, their share of total fuel consumption remains low at around 8 % (2025).
What goal has Germany set for gross final energy consumption by 2030?
As part of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), Germany has committed to increasing the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption to at least 41 % by 2030.
Who calculates the gross final energy consumption for Germany?
The Working Group on Renewable Energy Statistics (AGEE-Stat), commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), calculates the BEEV annually using the uniform EU methodology of the RED Directive; the German Environment Agency (UBA) publishes the results.
Sources
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), Working Group on Renewable Energy Statistics (AGEE-Stat), German Environment Agency (UBA).