
The Guardian reported on Wednesday on a study by global energy think tank, Ember, which revealed that electricity generated from solar power in the EU (at 11% EU total) had for the first time in 2024 surpassed electricity generated from coal (at 10%). This reflects the current trend whereby the percentage generated from coal has fallen in each of the last 5 years.
The report attributed the rise of solar to a record amount of new panels, despite the fact that the EU had less sunshine in 2024 than in the previous year. “This is a milestone,” said Beatrice Petrovich, co-author of the report. “Coal is the oldest way of producing electricity, but also the dirtiest. Solar is the rising star.”
The report also found that the EU was on track to meet its target of 400GW of installed solar capacity by 2025 and was “within reach” of its 2030 target of 750GW.
Wind and solar energy combined rose to 29% of EU electricity generation in 2024. Spain has benefitted particularly and now tops the table of avoided fossil fuel cost due to added wind and solar, 2019 – 2024, below (in € billions)