energy
Almost half of the electricity in the EU comes from renewables
The EU wants to be climate neutral by 2050 – this also requires changes in energy. A report shows that solar power is being used more and more. Elsewhere the climb is less steep.
According to an analysis, the share of fossil fuels in the electricity mix in the European Union was lower last year than ever before. The share of electricity generated by coal fell to less than 10 percent, according to a report by the think tank Ember. Electricity generation from gas fell for the fifth year in a row and still accounted for almost 16 percent in 2024. Together with other energy sources such as oil or waste, fossil fuels accounted for around 29 percent of electricity generation in the EU.
According to the analysis, more and more electricity in the EU is coming from renewable energies – in 2024, almost half at 47.5 percent. Last year, a good 11 percent of electricity was generated from solar energy, and a good 17 percent came from wind power. Electricity generation from solar power is increasing in all EU countries, Ember said. Hydropower and energy obtained from biomass also contribute to the share of renewables. Nuclear power accounted for almost 24 percent of the electricity mix in 2024.
“Fossil fuels are losing influence”
“Fossil fuels are losing their impact on the EU’s energy supply,” said Ember’s Chris Rosslowe. “When the European Green Deal was launched in 2019, few would have thought that the energy transition in the EU could have progressed so far.” For the report, the authors analyzed data on electricity production and demand in all 27 EU countries.
The energy transition in the international community has progressed faster in the last five years than anyone expected, Rosslowe continued. However, further progress cannot be taken for granted. “Implementation needs to be accelerated, particularly in the wind sector, which faces particular challenges and a growing implementation gap.” While there is a large increase in solar energy in particular (plus 21.7 percent), the share of wind power is almost stagnating: According to Ember, an increase of 1.5 percent was recorded in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Wind energy association criticizes long approval processes
From the perspective of the WindEurope association, long approval procedures continue to be a key obstacle to expansion. Although there are binding new EU approval regulations, many countries have not yet implemented these into national law, the association criticized at the beginning of the month.
According to initial estimates, around 13 gigawatts (GW) were newly built across the EU last year. However, 30 GW per year is necessary to achieve the international community’s expansion target by 2030, it was said.
Germany is a model student when it comes to wind power
There was praise, especially for Germany: a national record had been achieved with approvals for almost 15 GW of onshore wind energy. “Governments must follow Germany’s example if they are serious about energy security and industrial competitiveness,” the association said.
According to figures from the Federal Network Agency from the beginning of January, the installed renewable energy capacity in Germany rose by 12 percent to almost 190 GW last year. Accordingly, almost 20 GW were newly installed, with the growth coming primarily from wind and solar energy sources. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) said that renewable energies are now taking over the main task of generating electricity in the Federal Republic. “At the same time, we have used less coal to generate electricity than we have in decades.”
EU wants to become climate neutral
The Green Deal is a package of measures and laws from the last legislative period in the EU that, among other things, is intended to ensure a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is for the international community to become climate neutral by 2050 – that is, to not emit more greenhouse gases and not be able to bind them again. The legislative package includes new requirements in areas such as energy, transport, industry and agriculture. After the majority of new regulations were introduced in the past, the main focus now is on implementation.
The EU’s efforts to become independent of gas from Russia because of Moscow’s war of aggression against Ukraine have further increased the urgency of expanding renewable energy sources in the international community.
dpa
Source: Stern
