Wind and solar became the leading sources of electricity in the EU in 2025, generating a greater share than fossil fuels for the first time, data from energy think tank Ember’s European Electricity Review has revealed.
The report found that wind and solar accounted for 30% of the EU’s power output during the year, compared to a 29% share for electricity generated from fossil sources.
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The review analysed electricity generation and demand across all 27 EU member states for the full year, examining the region’s shift away from fossil fuel use.
Wind and solar have increased their combined share of power generation significantly over the past five years, rising from 20% in 2020 to 30% in 2025.
Over the same period, fossil fuels’ share fell from 37% to 29%. The report also noted that renewables overall supplied nearly half (48%) of EU electricity last year.
Solar generation expanded by just over 20% for a fourth consecutive year and delivered a record 13% of EU electricity in 2025, surpassing both coal and hydroelectric sources.
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By GlobalDataAll EU countries recorded higher solar output year-on-year amid widespread installation of new capacity.
In Hungary, Cyprus, Greece, Spain and the Netherlands, solar accounted for more than a fifth of total electricity produced.
Wind energy remained the second-largest source of electricity in the bloc, providing 17% of total output and surpassing gas.
However, hydroelectric output fell by 12% due to unusual weather conditions, while wind generation dropped by 2%.
Structural changes were evident as wind and solar together generated more electricity compared to all fossil fuel sources in more than half (14) of EU member states during 2025.
Gas-fired power increased by 8% compared to the previous year as lower hydroelectric production led operators to turn to gas plants.
This increase pushed up the sector’s gas import costs to €32bn ($37.4bn) in 2025, up by 16% from the previous year, marking the first annual increase since the energy crisis of 2022.
Italy and Germany recorded the highest spending on gas imports. Periods when gas was most used saw average electricity prices spike by 11% compared to similar periods in 2024.
European Electricity Review report author Beatrice Petrovich said: “This milestone moment shows just how rapidly the EU is moving towards a power system backed by wind and solar.”
Coal-fired generation continued its decline, dropping to an historic low of 9.2%. In contrast to ten years ago, when coal supplied nearly one-quarter of EU power, it now represents a much smaller share.
According to the report, 19 countries had either zero or less than 5% of their power coming from coal. Both Germany and Poland saw coal usage fall to new lows within their national energy mixes.
