Solar overtakes coal in the EU electricity mix

24.01.2025

Source: E & M powernews

In 2024, the EU generated more electricity from solar energy than from coal for the first time. According to an analysis by Ember, the share of coal fell to 10 percent, while solar rose to 11 percent.

The energy transition in the European Union continued to gather pace in 2024. This is shown by a recent analysis by the think tank Ember. According to the analysis, the share of renewables in the electricity mix reached almost half, while fossil fuels reached their historic low. Solar energy became the third-largest source of electricity for the first time, overtaking coal.

According to Ember, the share of electricity generated by coal fell to less than 10 percent, meaning that this form of energy has become massively less important over the past five years. The share of natural gas also fell for the fifth time in a row and stood at just under 16% in 2024. Overall, fossil fuels - including oil and waste - fell to a share of 29%. According to market observers at Ember, this is the lowest figure ever recorded in the EU.

Strong growth in solar and wind

Renewable energies covered around 47 percent of Europe's electricity requirements last year. According to the Ember Report published on January 23, solar energy in particular recorded a major leap forward: with growth of over 20 percent compared to the previous year, it accounted for 11 percent of the electricity mix. Wind power contributed around 17%, making it the second largest source of energy in the EU. Together with hydropower and biomass, they are driving the transition to a clean energy system.

Beatrice Petrovich, Senior Energy Analyst at Ember, assesses the positive effects of this development: "The EU is moving towards a clean energy future supported by domestic wind and solar projects. This system not only strengthens energy security, but also lowers energy prices for households and businesses."

Reduced emissions and economic benefits

According to the think tank, developments in the electricity sector are having a significant impact on emissions: In 2024, CO2 emissions from the EU energy sector were below half of their 2007 peak for the first time, largely due to the growing use of wind and solar energy, which are not only pushing back fossil fuels but also reducing the EU's dependence on expensive energy imports.

According to Ember, the expansion of renewable energies has reduced fossil gas imports by 92 billion cubic meters and coal imports by 55 million tonnes since the introduction of the Green Deal. This has saved the EU 59 billion euros in expenditure.

Challenges remain

Despite the progress, experts warn of challenges. While solar energy continues to grow strongly, the expansion of wind power is falling short of expectations. In order to achieve the EU climate targets by 2030, the annual capacity expansions in this area would have to be doubled. Furthermore, additional investments in energy storage, flexible grid infrastructure and electrification are necessary to fully exploit the benefits of renewable energies.

Over the past five years, the European Green Deal has laid the foundations for a far-reaching transformation of the energy industry. According to Ember, the results should serve as an incentive to accelerate the transition to a clean energy future.

The 47-pagereport "European Electricity Review 2025" is available on the Ember website.

Author: Davina Spohn