Wind and Solar Power Overtake Fossil Fuels in European Union for First Time

Record Renewable Generation

According to the European Electricity Review published by energy think tank Ember in January 2026, wind and solar supplied 30% of EU electricity in 2025, narrowly surpassing fossil fuels at 29%. Nuclear power accounted for 20% of the bloc's electricity, while total renewables reached 48%. This represents a dramatic transformation from just five years ago, when renewables provided 34% and fossil fuels 39% of the power mix.

The milestone was achieved across the entire 27-country bloc, with every EU member state generating more solar power in 2025 than the previous year. In 14 EU countries, wind and solar combined produced more electricity than all fossil fuels combined.

Solar Drives the Transition

Solar power emerged as the primary driver of the renewable energy surge. Solar generation jumped 20.1% in 2025, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth exceeding 20%. The technology now delivers a record 13% of the EU's electricity, surpassing both coal and hydropower to become a major pillar of the European power system.

The solar boom occurred uniformly across Europe. In Hungary, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, and the Netherlands, solar supplied more than 20% of total electricity. The consistent growth across all member states demonstrates that solar technology has reached maturity and economic competitiveness throughout diverse European markets and climates.

Wind power remained the EU's second-largest electricity source at 17%, generating more power than gas. However, wind output dipped 2% in 2025 due to less favorable weather conditions, highlighting the continued importance of weather variability in renewable generation.

Coal Reaches Historic Low

Coal's decline accelerated dramatically in 2025, with the fossil fuel's share of EU electricity falling to a historic low of 9.2%. This represents a stunning reversal from just a decade ago, when coal supplied nearly a quarter of European power. Today, 19 EU countries generate either no coal power at all or less than 5% of their electricity from coal.

Even in traditionally coal-dependent nations, the decline was stark. Germany and Poland, two of Europe's largest coal consumers, both saw coal generation drop to all-time lows in 2025. The rapid phase-out of coal has been a major contributor to reducing EU power sector emissions to less than half of their 2007 peak.

Gas Challenge Remains

While coal declined, gas-fired generation rose 8% in 2025, largely compensating for a 12% drop in hydropower output caused by reduced rainfall. This increase presents a challenge for Europe's energy transition goals, as the bloc remains vulnerable to gas price volatility and import dependence.

The EU's gas import bill for power generation climbed to 32 billion euros in 2025, up 16% from the previous year. This marked the first rise in gas import costs for electricity since the 2022 energy crisis triggered by geopolitical tensions. The increase underscores the continued economic vulnerability created by fossil fuel dependence.

Doctor Beatrice Petrovich, author of the Ember report, emphasized that reducing gas dependence should be the EU's next priority. Gas imports not only expose the bloc to potential energy supply disruptions but also drive up electricity costs for consumers and businesses.

Economic Benefits of Renewable Expansion

The economic advantages of the renewable transition are substantial. The Ember analysis calculated that without the wind and solar capacity added since 2019, the EU would have needed to import 92 billion cubic metres more fossil gas and 55 million tonnes more hard coal. This would have cost an additional 59 billion euros, money that instead remained in European economies or was avoided entirely.

The displacement of fossil fuel imports with domestically generated renewable electricity enhances Europe's energy security while creating local jobs in manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of renewable energy infrastructure. The transition has also insulated European consumers from some of the extreme fossil fuel price volatility experienced in recent years.

Future Outlook

The 2025 milestone demonstrates that Europe's power sector transformation is not only feasible but actively underway. The consistent growth of solar across all member states, combined with the ongoing decline of coal, shows that the transition has achieved momentum across diverse political and economic contexts.

However, challenges remain. Addressing the rise in gas generation will require accelerated deployment of renewable capacity, expansion of energy storage systems to manage renewable intermittency, and continued investment in grid infrastructure to integrate variable renewable sources. The successful phase-out of coal provides a template for tackling gas dependence in the coming years.

As fossil fuel dependencies increasingly drive global instability, the EU's transition to a power system backed by wind and solar carries implications beyond climate goals, encompassing energy security, economic stability, and geopolitical independence.