In a 'monumental shift', EU coal and gas collapse as wind and solar ascend

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Europe’s coal electricity generation tanked by 26% and gas by 15% in 2023, according to a new report from energy think tank Ember. That collapse resulted in an impressive 19% reduction in the EU’s power sector emissions. What’s more, for the first time, wind power, which grew by 18%, surpassed gas, which only accounted for 17% of Europe’s electricity. Wind and solar power are now taking center stage. Together, they hit a new high, generating 27% of the EU’s electricity in 2023. Solar covered 9% of the EU’s electricity needs. With hydroelectric power also bouncing back, renewables reached a record 44% share of the EU’s power mix. “The EU’s power sector is in the middle of a monumental shift,” said Sarah Brown, Ember’s Europe program director. “Fossil fuels are playing a smaller role than ever as a system with wind and solar as its backbone comes into view.” Interestingly, Europe’s shift away from fossil fuels wasn’t just about swapping coal and gas for wind and solar. People and busines

Photo: Hornsea Project Europe’s coal electricity generation tanked by 26% and gas by 15% in 2023, according to a new report from energy think tank Ember. That collapse resulted in an impressive 19% reduction in the EU’s power sector emissions. What’s more, for the first time, wind power, which grew by 18%, surpassed gas, which only accounted for 17% of Europe’s electricity. Wind and solar power are now taking center stage. Together, they hit a new high, generating 27% of the EU’s electricity in 2023. Solar covered 9% of the EU’s electricity needs. With hydroelectric power also bouncing…

In a 'monumental shift', EU coal and gas collapse as wind and solar ascend

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