Renewables provided nearly half of the EU’s electricity in 2025 – Ember

Wind and solar energy accounted for 30% of the bloc's energy balance last year

Wind and solar power plants in the EU generated more electricity than fossil fuels for the first time in 2025. This is according to data from the Ember analytical centre.

Last year, wind and solar energy accounted for a record 30% of the European Union’s electricity production, while fossil fuels accounted for 29%. Solar energy alone accounted for 13%.

«This milestone shows how quickly the EU is moving towards an energy system based on wind and sun. As dependence on fossil fuels fuels instability on the world stage, the stakes of transitioning to clean energy are clearer than ever,» said report author Beatrice Petrovic.

Renewable energy sources provided almost half of the bloc’s energy balance last year, reaching a total of 48%, even though the weather led to a 12% year-on-year decline in hydroelectric power production and a 2% year-on-year decline in wind power production.

Gas-fired power generation in 2025 increased by 8% y/y, largely due to a decline in hydropower generation, but it continues to decline.

Rising gas prices led to an increase in gas import costs in the EU energy sector to €32 billion (+16% y/y) – the highest since the 2022 energy crisis, with Italy and Germany paying the most. Peak gas consumption hours led to a sharp increase in electricity prices, with average prices during these periods rising by 11% across the EU compared to 2024.

Coal-fired power generation continued to decline rapidly, falling to a new historic low of 9.2% in 2025. At the same time, ten years ago it accounted for almost a quarter of the EU’s energy balance. In 19 countries of the bloc, the share of coal in the energy mix is zero or less than 5%.

The next priority for the EU, notes Beatrice Petrovich, should be to significantly reduce its dependence on expensive imported gas, which not only makes the bloc more vulnerable to energy blackmail but also leads to price increases.

It should be recalled that in June 2025, solar power became the largest source of electricity in the EU for the first time, overtaking nuclear and wind power. At the same time, coal’s contribution to the bloc’s energy balance fell to a historically low level.