A lot has happened in the EU since the last European elections when it comes to expanding renewable energies. This is mainly due to one area – but not only that.
According to an analysis, wind and solar capacity in the EU has increased by almost two-thirds in recent years. From 2019 to 2023, it rose by 65 percent, with Germany contributing the most among member states, according to a report by the think tank Ember. Germany accounted for 22 percent of the increase in EU wind and solar energy capacity, followed by Spain (13 percent).
“While these two countries have led the way, significant progress has been made across the region,” the report says. More than half of the 27 EU member states have at least doubled their wind and solar capacity during the period.
Looking at the EU-wide development, the expansion of solar energy stands out in particular: from 2019 to 2023, solar capacity more than doubled, reaching 257 gigawatts last year. “This corresponds to the installation of more than 230,000 solar modules per day in these four years,” explained the authors of the report. Wind capacity increased by almost a third to 219 gigawatts in the same period.
According to the report, these new wind and solar capacities pushed up the share of wind and solar energy in EU electricity: from 17 percent in 2019 to 27 percent in 2023.
Why the energy structure in Europe is changing
The EU energy sector has changed significantly since 2019, the think tank said. “Ambitious, world-leading climate policies combined with targeted action to move away from Russian gas have consolidated into real and sustainable momentum,” said expert Sarah Brown of Ember.
The EU Commission, headed by President Ursula von der Leyen, began its work on December 1, 2019. One of its biggest projects is the so-called “Green Deal” – a strategy that includes measures in areas such as transport, industry, agriculture and also energy.
By 2030, renewable energies are expected to account for 42.5 percent of total energy consumption in the EU. In addition, the energy crisis following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022 also led to a faster expansion of renewables. The EU is trying to become more independent of Russian gas.
Source: Stern
