Germany energy industry greenhouse gas emissions
Germany energy industry greenhouse gas emissions stood at 189.09 million t CO₂e in 2025, according to German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt, UBA). It is one of the indicators in the Greenhouse gas emissions table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1990 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Greenhouse gas emissions table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total greenhouse gases excluding LULUCF | 648.87 | 649.77 | 669.58 | 749.27 | 762.77 | 730.97 | 798 | 850.14 | 886.28 | 899.03 | |
| Energy industry | 189.09 | 189.7 | 204.83 | 258.07 | 247.78 | 220.1 | 259.18 | 311.7 | 326.86 | 346.39 | |
| Industry | 144.14 | 149.77 | 149.72 | 164.25 | 180.07 | 172.33 | 179.01 | 184.73 | 192.3 | 186.57 |
Understanding germany energy industry greenhouse gas emissions
Covering thermal power stations, district heating plants, and refineries, this row accounts for direct emissions from fuel transformation and public energy generation. The scope encompasses public electricity supply, combined heat and power installations, coal processing, and petroleum refining operations. Sibling sectors such as buildings and transport do not record emissions from the electricity or district heat they purchase; instead, those upstream generation releases are assigned entirely to this energy industry total. On-site fuel combustion within industrial manufacturing plants is likewise excluded, being reported under the separate industry row.
Power generation fuel economics, winter weather severity, and renewable generation availability interact to drive annual movements in this utility-focused indicator. Years with abundant wind and solar output require less thermal generation backup, while colder winter conditions expand fuel consumption in district heating networks. Initial releases depend on preliminary power grid feed-in figures and monthly primary energy delivery reports, which are adjusted once verified plant-level emissions declarations and consolidated annual energy balances are completed. Comparing year-on-year changes offers insights into generation efficiency and fuel switching between coal and gas, though analysts must separate weather-induced dispatch swings from underlying power sector structural transitions.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this series include emissions from electricity consumed by homes and businesses?
- Yes, direct emissions from generating public electricity and district heat are booked entirely to this energy industry row rather than allocated downstream to consumer sectors.
- What distinguishes this energy industry row from the separate industry row?
- This row covers public energy utilities, power plants, and refineries, while fuel burned directly inside manufacturing facilities for industrial production belongs to the industry row.
- Why are preliminary energy sector figures revised in subsequent releases?
- Early estimates use fast power grid feed-in statistics, which are later updated with audited plant emissions data and consolidated official energy balances.