In 2024, solar power overtook coal as the European Union’s primary source of electricity for the first time, contributing 11% to the region’s energy mix, while coal’s share fell below 10%. This shift underscores the profound transformation taking place in the EU’s electricity sector, driven largely by the European Green Deal.
Wind power also played a significant role, accounting for 17% of the EU’s electricity generation, while natural gas contributed 16%. Altogether, renewables made up 47% of the EU’s electricity mix in 2024, with solar growth and a resurgence in hydropower helping to boost the share. In contrast, fossil fuels now account for only 29% of electricity generation, a sharp decline from 39% in 2019, prior to the Green Deal’s introduction. Over the same period, the share of renewables grew from 34% to nearly 50%.
The decline of coal has been particularly rapid. Once the EU’s third-largest power source in 2019, coal dropped to sixth place by 2024. More than half of the EU member states now either have no coal power or rely on it for less than 5% of their energy needs, highlighting the decreasing role of the dirtiest fossil fuel.
Natural gas generation also continued its downward trend, decreasing by 6% for the fifth consecutive year, despite a slight 1% increase in electricity demand. The rise of solar and wind energy has significantly reduced the EU’s reliance on fossil fuels, avoiding the need for an additional 92 billion cubic meters of gas and 55 million tons of coal. This transition has also saved the EU an estimated 59 billion euros in costs.
This shift reflects the EU’s accelerating commitment to a greener, more sustainable energy future, with solar and wind energy increasingly playing central roles in reducing dependence on polluting fossil fuels.
