Germany is on track to generate over 50% of its power from renewable energy in 2023, but needs to ramp up the speed of its transition towards the end of the decade in order to meet its climate goals.

According to Economy Minister Robert Habeck, renewables will need to account for 80% of power generation by 2030 in order to meet Germany’s target of net-zero emissions by 2045. However, he warned that the country is not currently on track to meet this goal.

“We won’t get there at the current pace,” Habeck said at a conference in Berlin on Monday.

Habeck spoke of a boom in the solar power industry, with this year’s target of achieving 9-gigawatt capacity expected to be reached. The expansion of onshore wind energy was also progressing well, he said, with 2022’s full-year volumes already reached by the end of July 2023.

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However, Habeck said that offshore wind energy expansion was being hampered by a lack of components needed to build the facilities.

The German government has set ambitious targets for the expansion of renewable energy, but it faces a number of challenges in meeting these goals. These include the need to upgrade the country’s electricity grid, to secure public support for renewable energy projects, and to address supply chain disruptions.

Despite the challenges, Habeck said that Germany is committed to accelerating its transition to renewable energy.

“We need to make sure that we are on track to meet our climate goals,” he said. “Renewable energy is the key to a sustainable future.”