Wind and Solar Overtake Fossil Fuels in European Union Electricity Mix

Europe has reached a turning point in its energy transformation. Wind and solar power now generate more electricity than fossil fuels across the European Union for the first time in history.

The shift happened faster than most experts predicted when the continent launched its climate policies five years ago. Ember’s 2026 European Electricity Review confirms wind and solar overtook fossil fuels in EU electricity in 2025.[6]

Record Growth in Five Years

Wind and solar’s combined share of EU electricity jumped by 10 percentage points over the past five years, rising from 17 percent in 2019 to 30 percent in 2025. During the same period, fossil fuels fell by 8 percentage points, dropping from 39 percent to 29 percent of the electricity mix. EEA report on renewable energy share in EU final energy consumption, highlighting 2024 growth in solar and wind.[1].

The numbers show the extraordinary pace of change. Solar generation increased by 179 terawatt-hours during this period, equal to the annual output of more than fifty coal power plants. Wind generation expanded by 110 terawatt-hours.

“This shift demonstrates that Europe’s commitment to clean electricity is not merely aspirational but increasingly embedded in the continent’s practical energy infrastructure,” said Beatrice Petrovich, an analyst at Ember, a climate and energy think tank.

Solar Surpasses Coal

Solar energy now supplies 13 percent of the bloc’s total electricity, moving ahead of both coal and hydropower for the first time. In 2025, solar generated a record 369 terawatt-hours across the EU, an increase of 62 terawatt-hours from the previous year.

The technology has grown at an average annual rate of 21 percent over the past five years, far beyond any other energy source in Europe.

Coal has collapsed during the same period. After providing 16 percent of EU power in 2019, coal fell to just 9.2 percent in 2025, its lowest share on record. Nineteen EU countries now generate less than 5 percent of their energy from coal.

Gas Declines Despite Growing Demand

Natural gas has also contracted, falling for the fifth consecutive year despite increased overall electricity demand in Europe. Gas dropped from 20 percent of EU electricity in 2019 to 16 percent in 2024.

The sustained contraction is particularly significant because it occurred while electricity demand actually increased, proving that demand growth no longer requires fossil fuel expansion.

This transition was driven by two major policy initiatives. The European Green Deal, launched in December 2019, established the continent’s commitment to climate neutrality by 2050. The pace accelerated dramatically after February 2022, when the REPowerEU initiative repositioned renewable energy as an urgent matter of energy security following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Uneven Progress Across Member States

The transition unfolds unevenly across Europe, revealing both leaders and laggards. Denmark generates more than 50 percent of its electricity from wind alone and achieved 88 percent renewable electricity in 2024.

Other northern European nations show similar achievements. Sweden generates approximately 80 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. Portugal has reached 75 percent renewable electricity and has been coal-free since 2021.

Hungary achieved 28 percent solar penetration in 2025, the highest of any EU country. Germany now generates approximately 45 percent of electricity from renewables, with targets to reach 80 percent by 2030.

However, some member states lag behind. France submitted national energy plans indicating a renewable contribution approximately 10 percentage points below EU legal requirements.

Infrastructure Challenges Ahead

The rapid expansion has exposed critical bottlenecks in Europe’s energy infrastructure. With 40 percent of distribution grids exceeding 40 years of age, the European Commission estimates €584 billion in necessary grid investments.

An estimated 81 percent of European renewable wind capacity sits stuck in various permitting stages. Some member states have implemented reforms to speed approvals, but EU-wide harmonization would dramatically accelerate deployment.

Energy storage represents another critical need. Battery storage costs have collapsed 93 percent between 2010 and 2024, falling from $2,571 to $192 per kilowatt-hour. In 2025, the EU installed 27.1 gigawatt-hours of new battery energy storage systems.

The economic case for renewables has become overwhelming. Renewable energy costs were lower than fossil fuels in 91 percent of 2024 utility-scale capacity additions, saving the world $467 billion in fossil fuel expenditures. Onshore wind has become the cheapest source of new electricity generation globally.

Jobs and Future Outlook

The renewable energy transition has become a significant source of employment. EU renewable energy employment doubled from approximately 600,000 workers in 2021 to 1.2 million in 2022. The sector now employs around 1.8 million people across the continent.

Meeting the EU’s 2030 targets requires renewable energy deployment to accelerate further. Solar and wind capacity must roughly double from 2019 levels, demanding installations to grow well above current rates.

The EU’s €880 billion annual fossil fuel import bill in 2025 represents capital flowing out of the European economy. Accelerating renewable deployment offers a direct path to energy independence while creating competitive advantages in clean technology manufacturing.

References

• EU Solar Market Outlook 2025-2030
• Ember Global Electricity Review 2024
• Ember European Electricity Review Webinar