Renewable energy sources generated more electricity in the European Union in 2020 than fossil fuels for the first time.
With 38%, renewable energy sources produced more than coal and gas (27%) and nuclear (25%). The increase in renewables is mainly due to wind and solar energy, producing 14% and 5% of electricity in the European Union, respectively. Together they accounted for 1/5 of all energy production.
“At the beginning of the ten-year effort on climate change, it is gratifying that Europe is already taking steps towards the dominance of ‘green’ energy. “The rapid growth of wind and solar energy has led to a reduction in coal use, but this is just the beginning,” said Dave Jones, an energy analyst at Ember Climate.
The rise of renewables and the reduction of coal and gas means that compared to 2015, electricity production in Europe was 29% cleaner.
