Solar energy becomes EU’s leading electricity source in June 2025

Solar energy reached a record share of 22.1% in the European electricity mix in June 2025, becoming for the first time the main source of electricity in the European Union, according to a report by think tank Ember.

Share:

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25€/month*

*billed annually at 99€/year for the first year then 149,00€/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2€/month*
then 14.90€ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

According to a report published by energy analysis centre Ember, the share of solar energy in European electricity production reached 22.1% in June 2025. This represents a historic level, positioning solar energy as the main source of electricity production in the European Union (EU) for the first time. Thirteen EU countries also recorded their highest ever monthly solar production, notably the Netherlands with a record share of 40.5% and Greece with 35.1%. This unprecedented level comes after several years of significant development in new solar capacities within these countries.

Sharp rise in energy demand

The record solar performance helped European electricity grids to cope with a substantial increase in energy demand due to heatwaves that impacted the continent at the end of June. These weather conditions led to high stress on electrical systems, with notably increased demand for air conditioning. Wind power also had a strong start to the summer, supplying 16.6% and 15.8% of total EU electricity in May and June 2025 respectively, marking record levels for these two months. Favourable wind conditions primarily explain this performance.

Record drop in coal usage

Parallel to solar energy’s rise, the share of coal in European electricity production reached a historic low of 6.1% in June 2025, down from 8.8% in June 2024. This decline in coal accompanies the growth in renewable energies, which accounted for almost three quarters of European electricity production during this month. In Germany and Poland, the main coal consumers within the EU, coal-fired electricity production recorded historic lows of 12.4% and 42.9% respectively in June. Other countries such as Czechia (17.9%), Bulgaria (16.7%), Denmark (3.3%) and Spain (0.6%) also reported their lowest monthly coal-based production during this period.

Progressive coal phase-out in several countries

Ireland officially closed its last coal plant on June 20, 2025, becoming the tenth European country without any coal-fired electricity production. Spain and Slovakia have also scheduled definitive shutdown dates for their coal plants throughout 2025. By the end of June, ten EU countries produced no electricity from coal. This trend is part of a broader pattern observed across Europe in recent years, with progressive closures of coal-fired power plants.

Marubeni Power Retail will supply Aeon with up to 200MW of solar power via an off-site PPA framework, with delivery set to begin this fiscal year and scale up progressively through 2028.
Clenergy has appointed Haydn Fletcher and Samir Jacob to strategic positions to strengthen its operations in Australia and internationally, amid targeted commercial expansion.
Abunayyan Holding and US-based Nextracker launch an industrial joint venture in Riyadh to locally produce large-scale solar equipment for Saudi Arabia and the MENA region.
ENGIE North America has signed new power purchase agreements with Meta for a 600 MW solar project in Texas, bringing their renewable energy partnership in the US to over 1.3 GW.
OPES Solar Mobility launches Europe's first factory for flexible vehicle solar panels in Zwenkau, targeting truck, bus and utility vehicle markets across several continents.
Abu Dhabi has begun construction on the world’s first gigascale solar and battery storage project, capable of delivering 1GW of baseload renewable power, with operations expected by 2027.
Shanghai Electric has signed phase II of the Parau photovoltaic project with Econergy, expanding its Romanian solar portfolio to 550 MW.
Swift Solar has installed its perovskite solar panels on a military site for the first time, as part of a US Department of Defense exercise testing energy resilience for critical infrastructure.
Mitsubishi Logistics has signed a virtual power purchase agreement with JERA Cross for 8MW of solar power, marking a new step in its energy strategies with investment plans through 2030.
The levelised cost of solar electricity continues to fall globally, reaching a regional record of $37/MWh in the Middle East and Africa thanks to tracker technologies, according to the latest market data.
Island Green Power opens a public consultation on design changes to its 500MW East Pye solar and battery storage project ahead of a permit application expected in early 2026.
US-based solar developer Ampliform secured a loan facility of up to $165mn to support large-scale energy projects in key regional markets, with a focus on the PJM grid.
More than 75 solar projects in the United States were tax-sheltered in Q2 through GameChange BOS transformers, responding directly to new U.S. Treasury requirements.
Chanel has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with REDEN to supply nearly one-third of its electricity needs in France from two photovoltaic plants commissioned in 2025.
i Grid Solutions and Tokyu Land will develop an additional 200MW of on-site solar under power purchase agreements by 2029 through their joint venture TLC VPP, with an investment exceeding JPY20bn ($133mn).
US-based developer Janta Power secures funding to expand its vertical photovoltaic towers across data centres, airports, charging stations and critical infrastructure.
The global floating solar panel market could triple by 2030, supported by energy demand and favourable regulations, according to the latest double-digit annual growth forecasts.
SMFL Mirai Partners commits to purchasing fifty low-voltage solar plants from GreenEnergy Plus, targeting 50MW installed capacity by fiscal 2030 to strengthen its supply strategy for private power purchase agreements.
Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar, secured $825mn to develop a 150 MWac solar plant and a 600 MWh storage site in Maricopa County, in partnership with Arizona Public Service.
Canadian firm Stardust Solar grants its first African franchise to Megatricity Energy in Zambia, launching a new phase of expansion into emerging solar energy markets.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25€/month*

*billed annually at 99€/year for the first year then 149,00€/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2€/month*
then 14.90€ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.