German Bundestag approves renewable energy expansion

BERLIN, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The German Bundestag (lower house of Parliament) on Thursday approved a legislative package to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies.

The share of electricity consumption generated from renewable sources is to rise from just under 50 percent today to at least 80 percent by 2030, according to the draft law. The previous target was only 65 percent.

"We are making necessary and urgently needed changes," Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck said. This is the "largest legislative package in the energy sector in recent years, probably decades."

In order to realize the more ambitious expansion goal, 2 percent of Germany's surface area is to be made available for onshore wind turbines. This would more than double the available land area for wind energy.

With the new laws in place, Germany will aim to double its installed onshore wind power capacity to around 115 gigawatts (GW) by 2030. This figure is to further increase to 157 GW by 2035 and 160 GW by 2040.

The country's installed solar capacity is set to more than triple to 215 GW by 2030 and increase further to 400 GW by 2040.

The Bundesrat (upper house) is scheduled to vote on the package on Friday.