EU Renewable Electricity Milestone

Canary Media: “Chart: Solar + wind overtake fossil fuels on the EU power grid.” A milestone achieved for Europe, with the combination of wind + solar producing more electricity than coal + gas for the first half of 2024. Wind + solar reached 30% of generation, while fossil fuels fell back to 27%. “While renewable energy [had] been growing steadily in the EUfor years, that trend kicked into overdrive when Russia invaded Ukraine and disrupted the region’s supply of fossil gas.” Energy prices spiked following the invasion, forcing electricity demand to fall in 2022 + 2023. But fossil fuel generation was hit harder. ‘Demand is rebounding this year, rising by 0.7 percent over the first six months — and yet fossil fuel generation has continued to fall: Coal generation dropped by 24% and fossil gas by 14% compared to the same period last year.’ Another factor was permitting reform [which we badly need in the US] such that renewables could be built + brought online more rapidly. ‘In the first half of the year, solar generation expanded by 20% compared to the first half of 2023, while wind generation ticked up by 9.5%.’ “Hydro power also grew by 21%; combined with solar and wind, the three renewable sources generated half of the EU’s electricity during the period — a jump from the record set last year of 44%.” Another positive note: Emissions from the power sector declined, falling by nearly one-third compared to the first half of 2022, an even larger decline than during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Emissions from the power sector have declined in turn, falling by nearly one-third compared to the first half of 2022, an even larger decline than during the Covid-19 pandemic.” Clearly this represents a permanent shift in the electricity mix for the EU. Good for them, good for all of us who like to breath clean air + reverse climate change.