New report reveals stunning growth in wind and solar power generation over past 5 years: ‘A historic, lasting shift’

The European Union has made major progress in moving away from dirty energy sources towards alternative forms of energy, a new report shows.

According to think tank Ember, the EU increased wind and solar power production by 46% between 2019 and 2023. Last year, the EU set a binding target for at least 42.5% of energy to come from renewable sources by 2030 – with the aim of reaching 45%.

“The EU now has more domestic wind and solar power than ever before, driving electricity generation from coal and gas to historic lows,” Sarah Brown, European programme director at Ember, said in the report. “The EU is now in the midst of a historic, sustained transition away from fossil fuel dependence for energy.”

According to the report, since 2019, wind and solar power have replaced around 20% of dirty energy generated in the EU, while their overall capacity has increased by 65% ​​in that time.

Recent policies adopted in the EU have helped to achieve this success in renewables. In 2019, the European Green New Deal was adopted, and the union “committed to addressing energy, climate and environmental challenges and achieving climate neutrality by 2050 in line with the Paris Agreement,” according to the EU Parliament’s website.

According to Reuters, the recent elections held in early June could have an impact on the current policies, and some laws will be reviewed by the new administration.

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The Ember report also highlighted numerous benefits, including the creation of 1.5 million jobs in the renewables sector (by 2022) and reducing gas import costs by €30-40 million (around $32-43 million) between 2019 and 2023.

The economic benefits of renewable energy are increasingly proven across the board. A Rocky Mountain Institute report last year found that as more solar projects are completed and production costs fall, the price per megawatt could drop from $40 to $20.

While the financial impact is certainly welcome, the overall quality of life and environment are perhaps the more exciting development. According to the Ember report, “the emission intensity of electricity generation in the EU was less than half the global average in 2019,” and emissions intensity was reduced by a further 15% between 2019 and 2023.

A study from Sweden last year showed some of the benefits of cleaner air in Europe, showing that improved air quality prevented 3,000 premature deaths (data from 2000 to 2018).

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