According to the energy think tank Ember, relayed by Statista, wind and solar energy have produced more electricity in the European Union than all fossil fuels combined. Thus, 30% of the electricity produced in the EU comes from these sources, more than gas, coal and oil combined (27%).
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And if we combine all renewable energies (namely wind, solar, hydroelectric and bioenergy), we see that they represent 54% of the EU’s electricity production between January and June.
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According to Ember analysts, strong growth in wind and solar was the main driver of the decline in fossil fuels in Europe’s electricity mix in the first half of the year. European solar production increased by 20% and wind production by 9.5% compared to the first six months of 2023. Together, wind and solar grew by 13%. This was partly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which prompted most EU countries to accelerate their plans to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
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On the nuclear side, the European trend is towards its gradual abandonment. In 2023, for example, Germany was giving up on this energy Source. “The high costs of nuclear power are probably the main obstacle to its revivalexplained consultant Woodmac in a study published in May 2023. According to our estimates, nuclear energy costs at least four times more than wind and photovoltaic energy.” Nuclear power currently produces only 20% of the EU’s electricity. It should also be noted that in Belgium – where the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 reactors were recently extended by ten years – nuclear power accounts for more than 40% of electricity production, followed by fossil fuels (around 25%) and renewables (around 25%).
