Key points
- Solar outpaces nuclear, wind, gas, and hydropower
- 13 EU nations set solar generation records
- Coal hits record low share in electricity mix
PARIS, France: Solar power became the European Union’s biggest single energy source for the first time in June, an energy think tank said Thursday.
The Ember group that researches the clean energy transition said that 22.1 per cent of Europe’s power in June came from solar panels.
That came ahead of nuclear power on 21.8 per cent and wind turbines on 15.8 per cent, according to the British-based institution. Gas accounted for 14.4 per cent and hydropower 12.8 per cent.
Beating national record
Ember said that at least 13 countries beat their national record for solar power production.
Wind power production also hit a new record for Europe, and coal has never accounted for such a low proportion of Europe’s electricity output – Ember estimated it at 6.1 per cent across the continent, down from 8.8 per cent in 2024.
But with demand for electricity rising, the use of coal in the first half of 2025 was still higher than the same period in 2024, Ember said. Electricity demand in the first six months was more than two per cent higher than last year.
