In 2024, solar power overtook coal in the European Union’s electricity mix for the first time, while wind’s share of power stayed flat, think-tank Ember said in a study released today.
Solar generation provided 11% of the EU’s electricity mix in 2024, up from 9.3% in 2023, and overtook coal, which fell to less than 10% for the first time in decades, the study found.
Gas use dropped marginally, making up 15.7% of power generation in 2024.
Replacing fossil fuels with renewables is a core component of the EU’s drive to both decarbonise and reduce its exposure to other countries like Russia.
Solar power more than matched the new power demand, and a good year for hydro and nuclear power meant that fossil fuel-based power was just 793 TWh – down from 1,130 TWh in 2019.
“Fossil fuels are now at a historic low,” said Chris Rosslow, lead author of the report.
In other good news: “Power demand growth has returned for the first time in two years,” Rosslow said.
However, “Europe is still consuming 5% less electricity than in 2019,” he added.
Switching to electricity as the main energy source is expected to decarbonise several key polluting activities, such as driving and heating. Therefore, increased power demand positively indicates Europe’s climate drive.
Wind power continues to struggle, with 2024 capacity additions lower than in 2023, a trend the energy expert described as worrisome.
“Wind and Solar are really quite complementary, they produce electricity at different times throughout the day and year,” Rosslow explains, which means that “strong growth in solar can not compensate for flagging wind build-out rates.”
[DC/ATB]
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