Solar power surpasses coal in EU for first time in 2024: Report

LONDON

A floating solar farm operates on the Cottbuser Ostsee lake near Cottbus, Germany, Oct. 16, 2024.

Solar power overtook coal in European Union electricity production for the first time in 2024, with the share of renewables rising to almost half the bloc's power sector, according to a report released on Thursday.

Gas generation, meanwhile, declined for the fifth year in a row and fossil-fuelled power generation dipped to a "historic low", the climate think tank Ember said in its European Electricity Review 2025.

"The European Green Deal has delivered a deep and rapid transformation of the EU power sector," the think tank said.

"Solar remained the EU's fastest-growing power source in 2024, rising above coal for the first time. Wind power remained the EU's second-largest power source, above gas and below nuclear."

Overall, strong growth in solar and wind have boosted the share of renewables to 47 percent, up from 34 percent in 2019.

Fossil fuels fell from 39 percent to 29 percent.

“A surge in wind and solar generation is the main reason for declining fossil generation. Without wind and solar capacity added since 2019, the EU would have imported 92 billion cubic metres more of fossil gas and 55 million tons more of hard coal, costing 59 billion euros,” the report said.

These trends are widespread across Europe, Ember said.

Solar power is progressing in all EU countries, and more than half have now either eliminated coal, the most polluting fossil fuel, or reduced its share to less than five percent of their energy mix.