In 2024, solar power overtook coal as the primary source of electricity generation in the European Union, marking a significant shift towards renewable energy. According to the latest European Electricity Review from Ember, solar’s rapid growth has helped raise the share of renewables in the EU’s energy mix to 47%, up from 34% just five years ago.

Meanwhile, fossil fuel use continued its downward trend, with gas generation falling for the fifth consecutive year and fossil-fueled power reaching a historic low. The EU’s Green Deal has been pivotal in driving this transformation, with solar and wind now firmly leading the charge. Solar energy remains the fastest-growing power source in Europe, followed by wind, which now surpasses gas and is second only to nuclear.

The surge in renewable energy has directly contributed to a decline in fossil fuel reliance. If not for the expansion of solar and wind since 2019, the EU would have had to import vast amounts of fossil fuels, costing billions of euros.

Ember reports that over half of EU countries have either phased out coal entirely or reduced its contribution to less than 5% of their energy mix. As a result, fossil fuels are rapidly losing their dominance in Europe’s energy landscape, with wind and solar power increasingly replacing coal and gas.