While initial reports pointed toward a significant milestone for the first half of the year, comprehensive data for the full year of 2024 confirms a landmark achievement for the European Union’s energy transition. Renewables, led by strong growth in solar power and wind, supplied a record 47% of the EU’s gross electricity, pushing the bloc closer than ever to the halfway mark for clean energy generation.
Fossil Fuels Fall as EU Generated Over Half of its Electricity in H1 2024 Through Solar Energy and Others
This surge in renewable output has had a profound impact on the EU’s overall energy mix. The 47% share for renewables in 2024 marks a significant increase from 34% in 2019. Consequently, fossil fuel generation plummeted to just 29%, its lowest level in four decades, according to multiple industry reports. This historic shift underscores the accelerating pace of decarbonization within the continent’s power sector.
Solar Power Overtakes Coal as EU Generated Over Half of its Electricity in H1 2024 Through Solar Energy and Others
The year 2024 was particularly momentous for the solar industry. For the first time in history, solar generation surpassed that of coal. Bolstered by a record 66 GW of new capacity additions, solar panels produced 304 TWh of electricity, accounting for an 11% share of the EU’s total. In comparison, coal-fired power plants generated 269 TWh, falling to a 10% share. This level of clean energy generation from a single renewable source is a clear indicator of solar’s central role in Europe’s future.
The consistent growth trajectory demonstrates that the EU is making substantial progress towards its 2030 climate and energy targets. This sustained expansion is expected to attract further clean energy investment, not only in generation capacity but also in the essential grid infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities needed to support a renewables-dominant system.
Sources
- 2024: nearly 50% of EU electricity came from renewables
- 47% of EU’s electricity came from renewables in 2025
- European Electricity Review 2025 – Ember
- Solar is EU’s biggest power source for the first time ever – Ember
- Chart: In a first, EU grid got more power from solar than coal in 2024
- EU’s solar and wind growth pushes fossil-fuel power to lowest level …
- EU Market Outlook for Solar Power 2024-2028 – SolarPower Europe
