The transition of the EU electricity sector maintained momentum in 2024, despite challenging political and economic conditions. Solar power grew strongly and overtook coal power for the first time. Another year of coal and gas decline – the fifth year in a row for gas – cut EU power sector emissions to below half their 2007 peak and further reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels. Significant progress has been made over the last EU political cycle, but delivery needs to be accelerated.
The European Green Deal has delivered a deep and rapid transformation of the EU power sector. Driven by expanding wind and solar power, renewables have risen from a share of 34% in 2019 to 47% in 2024, as the fossil share declined from 39% to a historic low of 29%. Solar remained the EU’s fastest growing power source in 2024, rising above coal for the first time. Wind power remained the EU’s second largest power source, above gas and below nuclear.
The significant progress has brought benefits beyond reducing emissions. Structural growth in wind and solar power has reduced the EU’s fossil import bill and the bloc’s vulnerability to imported gas. While the progress made in the first half of this decade is impressive, an acceleration is needed between now and 2030.
