The EU's shift to renewable electricity progressed rapidly in 2024
The EU's electricity transition accelerated in 2024, with solar surpassing coal for the first time and gas declining for the fifth consecutive year.
Published on February 3, 2025
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The EU's electricity transition maintained strong momentum in 2024, despite political and economic challenges, says global energy think tank Ember in their yearly report. Solar power saw significant growth, surpassing coal for the first time, while coal and gas continued their decline—marking the fifth consecutive year of falling gas use. As a result, EU power sector emissions dropped to less than half of their 2007 peak.
The European Green Deal has driven a profound transformation in the EU power sector. Thanks to the expansion of wind and solar, renewables increased their share from 34% in 2019 to 47% in 2024, while fossil fuels fell to a historic low of 29%, down from 39%. Solar remained the fastest-growing energy source, surpassing coal for the first time, while wind continued as the EU’s second-largest power source, ahead of gas but behind nuclear.
Beyond emissions reductions, this progress has delivered broader benefits. The structural expansion of wind and solar has lowered the EU’s fossil fuel import costs and reduced its reliance on external gas supplies. While the achievements of the past five years are notable, a faster transition is essential to meet 2030 targets.
Solar overtakes coal
Solar was the EU's fastest-growing power source in 2024, with record-breaking capacity additions and a 22% increase in generation compared to 2023. For the first time, solar (11%, 304 TWh) surpassed coal (10%, 269 TWh), marking a significant shift as coal dropped from the EU's third-largest power source in 2019 to the sixth in 2024. This transition is widespread, with solar expanding in every EU country while coal becomes increasingly marginal. Over half of EU nations now have either no coal power or a share below 5% in their energy mix. To sustain solar’s rapid growth, accelerated clean flexibility and smart electrification will be essential.
Gas declined five years in a row
Gas power generation declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2024, even as electricity demand saw a slight rebound. Alongside another drop in coal generation, this pushed total power sector emissions to less than half of their 2007 peak. This sustained decline has been instrumental in reducing overall EU gas consumption by 20% over the past five years, with the power sector accounting for about a third of that reduction. Without the wind and solar capacity added in 2024, EU gas consumption for power would have been 11% higher.
Wind and solar save €59 billion in fossil fuel imports
In five years of the European Green Deal, the rise in wind and solar generation has been the main driver of declining fossil fuel use. Without the wind and solar capacity added since 2019, the EU would have imported 92 billion cubic meters more fossil gas and 55 million tonnes more hard coal, costing €59 billion. To maximize future benefits, member states must continue implementing reforms to accelerate wind power deployment, as current progress risks falling short despite its cost competitiveness.
Wind and solar outpace fossil fuels in EU
Wind and solar energy surpassed fossil fuels in the EU for the first time, reducing emissions by 31% and with renewable sources now generating 30% of electricity.