New Energy
Solar Produced More Power Than Coal in EU for First Time in 2024
- Photovoltaic output surged while wind barely grew, Ember says
- Renewable power growth needs to increase to reach EU targets
Solar generation in the European Union jumped about 22% last year.
Photographer: Angel Garcia/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
A surge of solar power output helped the green energy source overtake coal-fired stations in the European Union for the first time last year, a report shows.
The milestone, based on data from climate think tank Ember, is the latest sign of coal’s decline in the EU as the bloc seeks to shift away from the highly polluting fossil fuel. But the success in Europe’s grid is still far from enough to limit coal’s global role, with China-driven demand set to keep breaking records in the coming years.