According to a report released by climate think tank Ember on January 23, by the end of 2024, solar energy in the European Union will surpass coal for the first time and become the main source of electricity supply in the European Union. Solar energy has become the fastest growing source of electricity in the European Union, accounting for 11% of its electricity supply. Overall, the rapid development of solar and wind energy has increased the proportion of renewable energy in the power structure from 34% in 2019 to 47%.
In the European Union, only 10% of electricity comes from coal. The report emphasizes that the EU's dependence on fossil fuels continues to weaken, and natural gas power generation has fallen for the fifth consecutive year, causing overall fossil fuel power generation to fall to a record low of only 29%.
"Fossil fuels are gradually losing their dominance in the EU's energy structure," said Chris Rosslowe, energy expert at Ember.
The report said that with the continuous increase in new wind and solar power capacity, the region has avoided nearly $61 billion (58.6 billion euros) worth of fossil fuel imports since 2019.
"This is a clear signal that their energy needs will be met by clean energy rather than imported gas," said Pieter de Pous, an energy analyst at European think tank E3G in Brussels.