Wind and solar generated more electricity than fossil fuels in the EU for the first time in 2025, according to Ember’s European Electricity Review.
The think tank said the two technologies reached a combined 30% share of EU generation last year, edging ahead of fossil fuels at 29%.
Report author Beatrice Petrovich added that the milestone highlights the speed of the energy transition and the geopolitical urgency of cutting fossil dependence.
Solar output grew by more than 20% for the fourth consecutive year to supply 13% of EU power, while wind delivered 17% despite a 2% dip due to unusual weather.
Renewables accounted for 48% of the electricity mix overall as hydro generation fell by 12%.
Gas generation rose 8% because of low hydro output, pushing the EU’s gas import bill to €32bn in 2025, the review found.
Coal fell to a historic low of 9.2%, with 19 EU countries producing zero or less than 5% of their electricity from the fuel.
“The next priority for the EU should be to put a serious dent in reliance on expensive, imported gas,” Petrovich stated, noting early signs of increased battery storage shifting renewable output into gas-heavy hours.