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Quick question: How’s the German energy transition doing?

In this year’s Energy Transition Monitoring Report, spanning more than 500 pages, the independent Expert Commission is providing a wide range of data, facts, answers and recommendations for action, and also an outlook to the future.

Have you ever passed somebody by, asking them how they were doing and got an automatic ‘just fine’ in response?  If you want to get more details, you need to actually look that person in the eye and take the time to really listen to what they say. So how’s the German energy transition doing?

Luckily, there is a dedicated Expert Commission to answer that question, because - when it comes to the energy transition - a one-word answer just isn’t enough. In each new edition, the Commission assesses the progress achieved on the energy transition in a year, providing a great amount of current facts and figures on the subject. It also looks at where additional efforts will be required – an important basis for a fact-based and transparent discussion.

^{Assessing energy transition-related measures and pointing out needs for action}

The Monitoring Report by the Independent Expert Commission assesses the progress achieved on the implementation of the energy transition and provides recommendations for action, especially with regard to a secure, economically efficient, affordable and climate-friendly energy supply. Germany and its European partners have committed to becoming climate-neutral by 2045. For this goal to be met, the energy system needs to be transformed. The Report looks at the year 2023, but also factors in developments for 2024 and 2025 – in cases where data is available.

Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and global trade conflicts, the Commission’s 2025 report places a special focus on affordability, the resilience of the energy system and import dependencies. It analyses the supply chains of conventional sources of energy such as coal and gas and also assesses Germany’s dependency on strategic resources such as lithium and rare earths, which are essential for expanding renewable technologies.

© Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy/ Andreas Mertens

^{Energy transition traffic light system gives ‘amber’ rating for 2023 and 2024}

It its latest report, Expert Commission points out the challenges faced in an increasingly complex energy policy landscape. For 2023 and 2024, the energy transition has received an ‘amber’ rating under the report’s traffic light-style system, which means that it is still possible to achieve the objectives that have been set, but only with considerable efforts. Political action is required across all areas, whether it is on reducing system costs, ensuring security of supply or optimising network infrastructure. The last chapter of the report addresses effective energy and climate policies.

“Decisions relating to energy policy must not lead to stranded investments or overregulation but must instead focus on the market, technological diversity and innovation,” said State Secretary Frank Wetzel (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy). The report is now being analysed and discussed with the experts. These include Professor Dr Andreas Löschel (chairman), Professor Dr Veronika Grimm, Professor Dr Anke Weidlich and Dr Felix Matthes an.