For the first time in history, renewable energy sources have generated more electricity in the European Union than fossil fuels, marking a major milestone in Europe’s transition to clean energy.
According to the European Electricity Review published by Ember, a global energy think tank, solar and wind power together produced 30 percent of EU electricity in 2025, surpassing coal and gas which accounted for 29 percent.
Report author Beatrice Petrovich described the development as a “milestone moment” that demonstrates Europe’s rapid shift away from greenhouse gas‑emitting fuels.
When hydropower and biomass are added, renewables’ share of the EU electricity market rises to 48 percent, while nuclear power, also emissions‑free, contributed another 23 percent.
Ember attributed the tipping point to a sustained surge in solar power, which has grown by one‑fifth annually for four consecutive years.
The growth was partly driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent cutoff of pipeline gas supplies to Europe, which forced governments and households to accelerate the search for alternatives.
Interestingly, much of the expansion has not come from massive industrial solar farms, but from rooftop photovoltaic panels installed on homes.
Ember noted that rooftop solar remains an underused pathway to energy autonomy, with the potential to cover up to 40 percent of EU electricity demand.
Global context
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said solar and wind have been growing at record annual rates for 23 years, steadily increasing their share of the global electricity market.
Until recently, fossil fuels were able to grow alongside renewables because overall electricity demand was expanding.
That trend has now shifted, with renewables beginning to take market share directly from coal and gas.
Ember highlighted that in 2025, solar and wind power outpaced overall electricity market growth worldwide for the first time, leading to a decline in fossil fuel use.
This was reflected in a simultaneous drop in coal consumption in China and India, two of the world’s largest emitters.
Challenges ahead
Despite the progress, industry insiders warn that rapid expansion could create new challenges.
In Greece, for example, installed solar capacity jumped from 9.5GW in 2024 to 12GW in 2025, a 25 percent increase.
Stelios Loumakis, president of the Association of Photovoltaic Energy Producers in Greece, told Al Jazeera that oversupply has forced grid operators to cut out a quarter of generated power.
“We expect that to rise to 40 percent this year. Producers are adding capacity furiously, but many are losing income,” he said.
Loumakis cautioned that without significant investment in electricity storage, many investors could face bankruptcy.
“There is now so much capacity being added that a lot of these investors are going to go bankrupt. The only way to avoid that is to install a lot of electricity storage, but what is currently under construction is still much too little,” he added.
US falling behind
While Europe celebrates progress, the United States is moving in the opposite direction.
Research by the Rhodium Group showed that US emissions rose by 2.4 percent in 2025 after two years of decline, largely due to increased coal‑fired generation.
The administration of President Donald Trump has pledged not to shut down any coal plants and has cancelled licences for offshore wind and onshore solar projects.
It also plans to withdraw $24 billion in federal subsidies for climate initiatives awarded under the previous Biden administration.
Ember noted that the US “remains far behind the European Union,” with wind and solar accounting for just 17 percent of electricity generation in 2024.
However, some of Trump’s reversals are being challenged in court. Federal judges recently ordered the resumption of construction of large offshore wind parks in New York and Virginia, while other injunctions are being contested.
Experts say legislation and litigation will be key tools in making the clean energy transition irreversible.
