The proportion of EU electricity generated from fossil fuels at an all-time low

The share of electricity generated from fossil fuels reached a historic low of 33% in the EU in the first half of the year, with a significant drop in production from coal and gas. Experts are calling for a massive expansion of renewable energies to compensate for the decline in fossil-fired power generation.

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The proportion of electricity generated from fossil fuels fell to 33% in the European Union in the first half of the year, its lowest level ever, according to a report published on Wednesday by climate and energy think-tank Ember.

EU power generation: Fossil fuels in historic decline to 33% of electricity mix

Between January and June, “fossil fuels generated 410 TWh in the EU, the lowest ever share of the electricity mix, at 33%”, Ember states in its report, compared with almost 36% for renewables as a whole, including some 27% for solar and wind power, according to data provided by Ember to AFP.

“The decline of fossil fuels is a sign of the times. Coal and gas are too expensive, too risky, and the EU is phasing them out,” points out Matt Ewen, analyst for Ember.

The main reason: demand for electricity on the continent has fallen significantly, both from households and factories, and it is primarily coal- and gas-fired power plants that have slowed down, reducing their share of total production. Fossil-fired electricity generation in coal- and gas-fired power plants fell by 17% between January and June compared with the first half of 2022, the report states. Five EU countries even saw a drop of over 30% (Portugal, Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland).

Energy transition in Europe: Historic drop in fossil-fired power generation and call for expansion of renewable energies

Coal-fired power generation fell by 23%, representing less than 10% of the European electricity mix for the first time in May. From gas, it fell by 13%. The report’s authors warn of the need to “massively” increase the deployment of renewable energies, particularly solar and wind power, “to support a resilient economy across Europe” and sustainably offset the decline in fossil-fired power generation.

In terms of volume, renewable generation is currently insufficient to offset the decline in fossil-fired electricity, which totaled 86 TWh, while renewables grew by just under 40 TWh. Solar power grew by 13% (+13 TWh) during the half-year compared with the first six months of 2022, and wind power by 4.8% (+10 TWh). Hydropower grew by 11% (+15 TWh).

The report also points out that nuclear power production is set to recover, after being at half-mast at the start of 2023 due to the heavy unavailability of France’s nuclear fleet, the largest in Europe.

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