- Solar generated 11% of EU electricity in 2024
- Gas experiences fifth year decline
- Coal fell below 10% for the first time
Solar energy generated 11% of EU electricity in 2024 and overtook coal as a source of energy, according to the European Electricity Review published by think tank Ember.
Gas in the EU also declined for the fifth year in a row and total fossil generation fell to a historic low. Coal accounted for less than 10% of energy generated in the EU for the first time.
Dr Chris Rosslowe, senior analyst and lead author of the report said fossil fuels are “losing their grip on EU energy” and that the surge in wind and solar energy has reduced the EU’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and its exposure to volatile prices since the energy crisis.
“At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s energy transition could be where it is today, wind and solar are pushing coal to the margins and forcing gas into structural decline,” Rosslowe said.
The European Electricity Review published on 23 January provides the first comprehensive overview of the EU power system in 2024. It analysed full-year electricity generation and demand data for 2024 in all EU-27 countries to understand the region’s progress in transitioning from fossil fuels to clean electricity.
The Review found that the EU power sector is in the middle of a deep transformation, spurred on by the European Green Deal. Not only did solar generation overtake coal, but wind (17%) generated more electricity than gas (16%) for the second year in a row.
It also reported that strong solar growth, combined with a recovery of hydropower, pushed the share of renewables to nearly half of EU power generation (47%) and fossil fuels generated 29% of the EU’s electricity in 2024. For context, this was 39% in 2019.
Rosslowe added that Ember’s analysis found that without new wind and solar capacity added over the past five years, the EU would have imported an additional 92 billion cubic meters of fossil gas and 55 million tonnes of coal, costing €55m.
“These trends are widespread, solar is growing in every EU country and more than half now have either no coal power or a share below 5% in their power mix.
“Coal has fallen from being the EU’s third largest power source in 2019 to the sixth largest in 2024, bringing the end in sight for the dirtiest fossil fuel,” Rosslowe said.
