Wind and solar power outpaced fossil fuels in EU electricity for first time, Ember says
Wind and solar power generated more of the European Union’s electricity than fossil fuels for the first time in 2025, marking a milestone in the bloc’s shift toward low-carbon energy despite political resistance and infrastructure strains.
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Wind and solar supplied 30% of EU electricity in 2025, edging past the 29% produced by power plants burning coal, gas and oil, according to new data from energy think tank Ember. The surge was driven by a 19% jump in solar capacity, which lifted renewable output across the bloc.
Solar power now provides more than 20% of electricity in countries including Hungary, Spain and the Netherlands, Ember found. Taken together, renewables and nuclear power delivered 71% of the EU’s electricity in 2025, underscoring how the region’s power mix has shifted decisively toward lower-carbon sources.
Coal’s share of EU power generation fell to a record low of 9.2%. The bloc’s two largest coal users, Germany and Poland, both recorded all-time lows in coal-fired power last year, according to the data.
The milestone comes as the EU seeks to hit climate targets and cut reliance on imported fuels, including Russian gas. While electricity generation is rapidly decarbonizing, sectors such as transport continue to lean heavily on fossil fuels, leaving a sizable share of the energy system exposed to volatile oil and gas markets.
The transition has not been frictionless. Political pressure from governments including Germany and the Czech Republic prompted Brussels to weaken key carbon-cutting measures last year, demonstrating the limits of consensus even as clean power scales up. An EU deal with U.S. President Donald Trump to significantly increase purchases of U.S. energy has also raised questions about Europe’s plans to reduce oil and gas dependence.
Affordability remains a challenge. Despite strong growth in wind and solar, Europe has struggled to ease energy costs for households and industry. Underinvestment in power grids has forced operators to curtail output during periods of high generation, wasting cheap electricity and increasing system costs.
Ember said price spikes last year coincided with peaks in gas use, highlighting the continuing influence of fossil fuels on electricity prices even as their market share declines. The think tank urged the EU to accelerate investment in transmission and distribution networks, and to scale up battery storage, to better absorb variable renewable output and stabilize prices.
The figures point to a power system that is now mostly low-carbon but still constrained by infrastructure bottlenecks and policy uncertainty. With coal at record lows and solar accelerating, the next phase of the transition will likely hinge on whether Europe can expand and modernize its grids, firm up storage, and maintain political momentum behind its climate goals while cushioning consumers from price volatility.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
