Overall, strong growth in solar and wind power has increased the share of renewables to 47%, up from 34% in 2019.
According to a report, in 2024 solar will overtake coal in electricity generation in the European Union for the first time, with renewables growing to almost half of the bloc's power sector.
Meanwhile, gas production is falling for the fifth year in a row and fossil fuel electricity generation is falling to a "historic low", climate think tank Ember said in its European Electricity Outlook 2025.
"The European Green Deal has led to a profound and rapid transformation of the EU electricity sector," the think tank said.
"In 2024, solar remains the fastest growing source of energy in the EU, surpassing coal for the first time. Wind power remains the second largest energy source in the EU, above gas and below nuclear."
Overall, the strong growth of solar and wind has increased the share of renewables to 47%, up from 34% in 2019.
Fossil fuels declined from 39% to 29%.
These trends are widespread across Europe, Ember said. Solar power is making progress in all EU countries, and more than half have already eliminated coal - the most polluting fossil fuel - or reduced its share to less than five percent of their energy mix. | BGNES
Solar surpasses coal in EU for first time in 2024
