Solar power has surpassed coal in the European Union’s electricity mix for the first time, generating 11% of the bloc’s electricity in 2024 compared to coal’s 10%, according to a new report from climate thinktank Ember.
The milestone comes as fossil gas usage in power generation declined for the fifth consecutive year to 16%, while wind and solar combined provided 29% of EU electricity generation.
The shift was driven by record installation of solar panels across the bloc, despite lower sunshine levels than the previous year, the report found. The EU reached 338GW of installed solar capacity in 2024, putting it on track for its 2025 target of 400GW.
Germany and Poland, Europe’s largest coal consumers, showed significant reductions in coal usage, with Germany’s share dropping 17% year-on-year and Poland’s falling 8%.
“Coal is the oldest way of producing electricity, but also the dirtiest. Solar is the rising star”, said Beatrice Petrovich, the report’s co-author.
The findings come as electricity demand showed a slight increase following two years of decline triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Analysts say the EU needs to invest in batteries and smart meters to better manage the variable supply of renewable energy. The bloc appears within reach of its 2030 target of 750GW solar capacity if current growth rates continue.
“Europe is taking advantage of the full swath of affordability, security, and clean air benefits that renewables provide”, said Gregory Nemet, an energy researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
