Photovoltaics were the fastest growing source of electricity in Europe in 2024. The installed solar power systems now supply more energy than the coal-fired power plants still in operation. This is one of the findings of the latest European Electricity Review by the Berlin-based institute Ember, which specialises in the decentralised energy transition.
Photovoltaics: 22 percent more than in 2023
Solar installations in the EU member states produced a total of 304 terawatt hours of electricity in 2024. This is an increase of 22 percent compared to 2023, while coal-fired power plants only generated 269 terawatt hours. This means that, for the first time, photovoltaic generators produced more than the once third-largest power generation technology in Europe. Coal-fired power plants are now only in sixth place behind nuclear power, wind power, gas-fired power plants, hydroelectric power plants and photovoltaics – in that rank order.
47 percent green electricity in the mix
All in all, the energy transition in the electricity sector made excellent progress last year. All green electricity plants together supplied 47 percent of the electricity in the EU. That is immense growth. In 2019, the share of renewables in the electricity mix was 34 percent. In contrast, fossil-based electricity production fell from 39 percent to a historic minimum of 29 percent in the same period. This naturally also has an impact on CO2 emissions in the electricity sector, which have fallen significantly as a result.
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Further accelerated expansion
The analysts at Ember attribute this development among other things to the EU Commission’s Green Deal, which is bringing initial success, at least in terms of electricity generation. However, the analysts warn: ‘While progress in the first half of the decade has been impressive, an acceleration is still needed between now and 2030,’ they wrote in their report. More flexibility and intelligent electrification are needed to maintain the strong growth of solar energy.
Gas consumption dropped
Considering Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine and the expensive supplies of dirty LNG fracking gas from the USA, it is also interesting to note that gas consumption in the energy industry has fallen for the fifth year in a row – despite a slight increase in electricity consumption. Overall, gas consumption in Europe has fallen by 20 percent over the past five years. One third of these savings were realised by the energy industry.
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59 billion euros saved
The energy transition is now also showing financial success. This is because fewer imports of fossil fuels are required – above all natural gas, crude oil, coal and uranium. To become more independent, the increased production from wind power and photovoltaics alone has saved imports of natural gas and coal worth 59 billion euros. To become even more independent, however, it is necessary for the EU states to continue to drive forward the expansion of wind power and solar energy. The analysts warn that there is currently a risk that the expansion of these technologies will decline despite their competitiveness.
You can find the complete European Electricity Review 2025 on the Ember website. (su)
