Overview
- Solar and wind supplied a record 30% of EU electricity in 2025, topping fossil sources at 29%, according to Ember’s European Electricity Review.
- Surging solar drove the shift with output up more than 20% to a record 13% of EU generation, while wind provided 16.9% after a less windy start to the year.
- Coal’s share fell to about 9.2%, the lowest on record, as hydro output declined and gas still accounted for 16.7% of electricity.
- Reduced hydro and greater gas-fired generation pushed the EU’s fossil‑gas import bill up by roughly 16% in 2025 and triggered electricity price spikes.
- Ember calls for more battery storage, stronger grids and flexible demand to cut import exposure, echoing IEA chief Fatih Birol’s warning that energy security is now a national security concern.