Europe generated more electricity from solar than coal last year, a report found that analysts called it a “milestone” in the clean energy transition.
According to data from climate think tank Ember, 11% of the EU’s electricity in 2024 was generated by solar panels, while coal-fired power plants generated 10%. The role of fossil gas declined for the fifth consecutive year, covering 16% of the electricity mix.
“This is a milestone,” said report co-author Beatrice Petrovich. “Coal is the oldest way to generate electricity, but it’s also the dirtiest. Solar is the new star.”
Europe’s industrialization was powered by coal, a fuel that caused more global warming pollution than any other energy source. Coal combustion in the EU’s electricity sector peaked in 2007 and halved in the following years.
At the same time, clean power sources are also booming. Wind and solar energy will rise to 29% of EU electricity generation in 2024, while hydropower and nuclear power continue to recover from their 2022 lows.
The report attributes the rise of solar power, the fastest growing power source last year, to a record amount of new panels, even though Europe received less sunshine than a year ago.
“The good news is that increased solar construction is actually leading to less fossil fuels being burned,” said Jenny Chase, a solar power analyst at BloombergNEF. are not involved).
According to the report, the share of coal in 16 of the 17 countries that still used coal in 2024 has decreased. He said fuel in most systems was “at limits or non-existent.”
Germany and Poland, which burn most of Europe’s coal, are among the countries making the transition to cleaner energy sources. According to the report, the share of coal in Germany’s electricity grid fell by 17% year-on-year, and in Poland by 8%.
Fossil gas is also in “structural decline”, with consumption decreasing in 14 out of 26 countries using gas-based electricity, the report found.
The findings came despite a slight increase in electricity demand after two years of sharp declines brought about by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In response, the EU introduced plans to save energy, find new fossil fuel suppliers and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
Gregory Nemet, an energy researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and co-author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, said, “European policies and markets will reduce the share of coal and natural gas from renewables.” has become possible.”
“Wind and solar power are growing in all large economies, but coal continues to grow in China and natural gas continues to grow in the United States,” he added. “Europe is taking full advantage of the affordability, safety and clean air benefits that renewable energy brings.”
The report revealed that the EU is on track to achieve a target of 400GW of installed solar power capacity by 2025. The report says it will reach 338GW in 2024, putting the 2030 target of 750GW “within reach” if the current pace is maintained. Of growth.
The report’s authors called for investment in batteries, smart meters and other “clean flexibility” that can help match demand with fluctuating renewable energy supplies throughout the day.
