Photo voltaic generated 11% of EU electrical energy in 2024, overtaking coal which fell beneath 10% for the primary time, in line with the European Electrical energy Overview revealed right this moment by suppose tank Ember.
EU gasoline era declined for the fifth yr in a row, and whole fossil era fell to a historic low.
“Fossil fuels are shedding their grip on EU power,” mentioned Dr Chris Rosslowe, senior analyst and lead writer of the report. “Initially of the European Inexperienced Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s power transition may very well be the place it’s right this moment; wind and photo voltaic are pushing coal to the margins and forcing gasoline into structural decline.”
The European Electrical energy Overview revealed right this moment by world power suppose tank Ember supplies the first complete overview of the EU energy system in 2024. It analyzes full-year electrical energy era and demand information for 2024 in all EU-27 international locations to grasp the area’s progress in transitioning from fossil fuels to wash electrical energy.
Wind and photo voltaic proceed their meteoric rise within the EU
The EU energy sector is present process a deep transformation spurred on by the European Inexperienced Deal. Photo voltaic era (11%) overtook coal (10%) for the primary time in 2024, as wind (17%) generated extra electrical energy than gasoline (16%) for the second yr in a row.
Robust photo voltaic progress, mixed with a restoration of hydropower, pushed the share of renewables to almost half of EU energy era (47%). Fossil fuels generated 29% of the EU’s electrical energy in 2024. In 2019, earlier than the Inexperienced Deal, fossil fuels supplied 39% of EU electrical energy, whereas renewables supplied 34%.
Photo voltaic is rising in each EU nation and greater than half now have both no coal energy or a share beneath 5% of their energy combine. Coal has fallen from being the EU’s third-largest energy supply in 2019 to the sixth-largest in 2024, bringing the top into sight for the dirtiest fossil gas. EU gasoline era additionally declined for the fifth yr in a row (-6%) regardless of a really small rebound in energy demand (+1%).
The EU is reaping the advantages of lowered fossil gas dependency
The surge in wind and photo voltaic era has lowered the EU’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and its publicity to risky costs because the power disaster. Ember’s evaluation discovered that with out new wind and photo voltaic capability added over the past 5 years, the EU would have imported a further 92 billion cubic meters of fossil gasoline and 55 million tonnes of coal, costing €59 billion.
“Whereas the EU’s electrical energy transition has moved sooner than anybody anticipated within the final 5 years, additional progress can’t be taken as a right,” continued Rosslowe. “Supply must be accelerated notably within the wind sector, which has confronted distinctive challenges and a widening supply hole. Between now and 2030, annual wind additions have to greater than double in comparison with 2024 ranges. Nevertheless, the achievements of the previous 5 years ought to instil confidence that, with continued drive and dedication, challenges might be overcome and a safer power future be achieved.”
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe mentioned: “This milestone is about extra than simply local weather motion; it’s a cornerstone of European power safety and industrial competitiveness. Renewables are steadily pushing fossil fuels to the margins, with photo voltaic main the best way. We now want extra flexibility to kick-in, ensuring the power system is adapting to new realities: extra storage and extra sensible electrification in heating, transport and industries.”
Learn extra: China put in a report capability of photo voltaic and wind in 2024 – in numbers
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