Germany's 2045 fossil fuel phaseout roadmap: renewable targets, methane cuts, and policy battles

Germany has published its first explicit roadmap to phase out fossil fuels by 2045, moving beyond earlier carbon neutrality pledges. The plan aims to lift renewables from 55% to 80% of electricity generation by 2030, add 12GW of onshore wind, and reach 215GW of solar capacity. It also commits to a 30% cut in methane emissions by 2030 and reaffirms coal exit by 2038, potentially earlier at 2035. However, the roadmap faces internal tension. The economic ministry is pushing for more gas use, and the heating law that favored heat pumps was weakened after political pressure from the far right. Campaigners say the plan is a notable shift but warn that implementation and enforcement will determine success. Germany follows France and the Netherlands in publishing such a roadmap, while the UK has yet to do so.