In 2024, solar energy overtook coal in electricity production within the European Union! This achievement marks a significant turning point in the EU's journey toward a cleaner and greener future. Solar energy has become the fifth largest source of electricity in the EU and the third largest renewable energy source, after wind and hydropower.

The share of renewables in the EU's energy mix increased to 47% in 2024, compared to 34% in 2019. At the same time, the share of fossil fuels dropped to 29%, down from 39% in 2019. This shift reflects the success of the EU's efforts to replace fossil fuels with green, renewable energy sources.

The surge in wind and solar energy production played a crucial role in reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, saving Europe billions of dollars that would have been spent on importing large quantities of natural gas for electricity generation. Despite this progress, gas remains the third largest source of electricity in Europe, following nuclear and wind energy.

The increasing dependence on solar energy has also contributed to lower electricity prices, as producers sometimes had to sell electricity at low prices during the day due to excess production and insufficient battery storage capacity. Therefore, Europe must focus on investing in large-scale battery storage to store excess energy and use it during periods of low production.