Solar electricity production in Europe jumped by more than 30% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, marking a strong start to what could be a record-breaking year for solar energy in the region. According to data from Ember, Europe generated nearly 68 terawatt hours (TWh) of solar power between January and March—32% more than the same months last year.
Solar energy made up 8.2% of Europe’s utility-supplied electricity in March 2025, up from 6% in March 2024. This substantial growth highlights solar power’s rising role in Europe’s electricity mix—even during winter months, traditionally a low-output period for solar.
With peak solar production in Europe typically occurring during the summer, solar output and its share of total electricity generation are expected to climb further in the coming months. This continued growth supports Europe’s broader push to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and expand clean energy use. In 2024, clean energy sources accounted for a record 61.3% of Europe’s electricity. However, in the first quarter of 2025, that share dipped to 57% due to weaker wind conditions that caused a 15% drop in wind power generation.
Wind power, Europe’s third-largest clean energy source after nuclear and hydro, saw reduced output, prompting utilities to rely more on gas and coal to meet demand. Nevertheless, clean energy’s share is expected to rebound as heating demand eases and solar production enters its seasonal peak.
While Germany and Spain once dominated the continent’s solar generation, representing over 80% of capacity before 2010, the landscape has since diversified. Thanks to falling costs and improved efficiency, many European countries have rapidly expanded their solar capacity. In Q1 2025, several nations outpaced the regional average in solar growth: the Netherlands (+63%), Turkey (+54%), Poland (+44%), and Switzerland (+43%).
Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and Spain each saw solar account for more than 10% of their electricity generation in the first quarter—an indication of solar’s growing influence in national energy strategies. These shares are expected to more than double during the summer months as daylight increases and solar irradiance peaks.
Looking ahead to June through August, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain are all projected to generate over 25% of their electricity from solar. On a regional level, this could push Europe’s average solar share to around 14%. Italy, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Turkey are also expected to reach double-digit solar shares this summer, signaling widespread growth and record-breaking solar deployment across nearly all major European economies in 2025.
