Europe recorded its greenest electricity year on record in 2020, according to a new study.
Ember and Agora Energiewende found renewables overtook fossil fuels as the EU’s main source of electricity for the first time, generating 38% of Europe’s electricity in 2020 compared to the 37% market share generated by fossil fuels.
This transformation has been driven by rapid growth in wind and solar power generation, which have almost doubled since 2015 to deliver one-fifth of EU electricity in 2020, stated the ‘The European Power Sector in 2020′ report.
The highest shares of wind and solar were seen in Denmark (61%), Ireland (35%), Germany (33%) and Spain (29%).
Coal power has halved since 2015, driven by structural growth in wind and solar. In 2020 coal generation fell by 20% to deliver just 13% of Europe’s electricity. In comparison, gas generation fell only 4% in 2020.
“It is significant that Europe has reached this landmark moment at the start of a decade of global climate action,” said Dave Jones, Ember’s senior electricity analyst and the lead author of the report.
“Rapid growth in wind and solar has forced coal into decline but this is just the beginning. Europe is relying on wind and solar to ensure not only coal is phased out by 2030, but also to phase out gas generation, replace closing nuclear power plants, and to meet rising electricity demand from electric cars, heat pumps and electrolysers.”