As an electric car driver, you can’t be completely sure that you’re charging your vehicle at home with green electricity. While more than 90 percent of the electricity produced in Luxembourg comes from renewable energy sources, a significant portion still has to be imported from neighbouring countries — and their energy mixes vary widely.
Electromobility is on the rise in Luxembourg. To make driving as climate-friendly as possible, electric cars should ideally be charged with green electricity.
According to Luxembourg’s regulatory authority (ILR), 90 percent of the electricity produced in Luxembourg in 2024 came from renewable energy sources. This is mainly due to the rapid expansion of wind and solar energy in recent years. In 2024, wind turbines generated 467 GWh (compared with 255 GWh in 2018), while photovoltaic installations contributed 360 GWh (up from 119 GWh in 2018).
However, domestic electricity production remains relatively low compared with Luxembourg’s total consumption. It covers less than a quarter of national demand (23.8 percent). Although this share has increased significantly from 14.1 percent in 2018, Luxembourg still relies heavily on imports — mainly from Germany (2,814 GWh in 2024), Belgium (1,209 GWh), and France (892 GWh).
According to Eurostat data from 2023, the energy mix of these countries differs considerably.
In Germany, renewables account for 54 percent of electricity production, followed closely by fossil fuels (45 percent).
Belgium relies primarily on nuclear power (41 percent), with 25 percent from fossil fuels and 34 percent from renewables.
France produces electricity with the lowest CO₂ emissions — only 9 percent from fossil fuels — but this is mainly thanks to nuclear power, which represents 64 percent of its energy mix. The share of renewables in France is 27 percent, lower than in both Belgium and Germany.
These statistics offer an indication of the type of electricity flowing through Luxembourg’s grid. However, it’s difficult to determine whether the electricity consumed at home is genuinely green. This can depend on factors such as proximity to a particular energy source or to a neighbouring country.
Electricity is hard to store and trace. Once it enters the grid, power from renewable and non-renewable sources mixes together and can no longer be distinguished. Living near a wind farm or subscribing to a green electricity plan with your provider is therefore no guarantee that your household is physically powered by renewable energy.
Nevertheless, choosing a green electricity plan helps strengthen the renewable energy sector. As demand increases, producers can expand their sustainable generation capacity, and new green electricity suppliers can enter the market. In this way, you contribute to the energy transition — and ultimately help increase the share of green electricity used to charge your electric vehicle.
