Sun Is Powering Europe's Clean Energy Transition — Generated More Electricity Than Coal Did In 2024, Ember Report Says
2 months ago

Sun Is Powering Europe's Clean Energy Transition — Generated More Electricity Than Coal Did In 2024, Ember Report Says

ABP News  

The Sun is shining bright on Europe. Solar is the rising star.” Why Solar Rose And Coal Fell Unlike the sharp declines in EU's power demand observed over the previous two years, 2024 saw a modest increase of 31 TWh. The Ember report finds that solar energy emerged as the fastest-growing power source in 2024, even though Europe got less sunshine than it did in 2023. EU On Track To Meet 2025 Target Of Installed Solar Capacity While 17 countries are still using coal for power generation, its share fell in 16 of them, the report says, adding that this source of energy is now “marginal or absent” in most systems. Stating that fossil fuels are losing their grip on EU's energy sector, Dr Chris Rosslowe, senior energy analyst at Ember who authored the report, said: "At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s energy transition could be where it is today; wind and solar are pushing coal to the margins and forcing gas into structural decline."

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History of this topic

How solar power overtook coal in Europe for clean energy landmark
1 month, 3 weeks ago

How solar power overtook coal in Europe for clean energy landmark

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s energy transition could …

Europe sets clean energy record as solar overtakes coal for first time
2 months ago

Europe sets clean energy record as solar overtakes coal for first time

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s energy transition could …

Europe has a new ‘rising star’ and it's powered by the sun as earth’s black gold takes a backseat
2 months ago

Europe has a new ‘rising star’ and it's powered by the sun as earth’s black gold takes a backseat

Firstpost  

Europe achieved a significant milestone by generating more electricity from solar power than coal in 2024. This shift reflects the EU’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and stabilising climate through increased use of renewable sources like solar and wind energy Europe has a new ‘rising star’ and it's powered by the sun as earth’s black gold takes a backseat Reuters …

As Trump turns to fossil fuels, Europe sprints ahead with renewables
2 months ago

As Trump turns to fossil fuels, Europe sprints ahead with renewables

Al Jazeera  

Solar and wind power are replacing coal and gas in power generation, but experts warn of hurdles ahead. ‘US risks being left behind in the clean industrial revolution’ Europe has few resources of oil and gas and currently spends about half a trillion dollars a year importing fossil fuels. “The US risks being left behind in the clean industrial revolution.” …

Europe posts record year for clean energy use as Trump pulls US toward fossil fuels
2 months ago

Europe posts record year for clean energy use as Trump pulls US toward fossil fuels

Live Mint  

A record 47% of the European Union’s electricity now comes from solar and other renewables, a report Thursday said, in yet another sign of the growing gap between the bloc's push for clean energy and the new U.S. administration's pursuit of more fossil fuels. Green policies and war drive clean energy growth One reason for Europe's clean power transition moving …

Europe posts record year for clean energy use as Trump pulls US toward fossil fuels
Top News
2 months ago

Europe posts record year for clean energy use as Trump pulls US toward fossil fuels

Associated Press  

A record 47% of the European Union’s electricity now comes from solar and other renewables, a report Thursday said, in yet another sign of the growing gap between the bloc’s push for clean energy and the new U.S. administration’s pursuit of more fossil fuels. Green policies and war drive clean energy growth One reason for Europe’s clean power transition moving …

Key solar themes to track after torrid 2024 for investors: Maguire
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Key solar themes to track after torrid 2024 for investors: Maguire

Live Mint  

By Gavin Maguire LITTLETON, Colorado, Jan 7 - Solar electricity generation posted its largest ever annual rise globally in 2024, yet many investors in the solar sector are nursing heavy losses after share prices in major solar firms and exchange-traded funds collapsed. Going forward, renewables remain at the heart of planned expansions in electricity output worldwide, and solar systems are …

UK’s electricity was cleanest ever in 2024, analysis finds
2 months, 3 weeks ago

UK’s electricity was cleanest ever in 2024, analysis finds

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The UK’s electricity was the …

As 142 years of coal comes to an end, how close is the UK to 100% clean energy?
5 months, 2 weeks ago

As 142 years of coal comes to an end, how close is the UK to 100% clean energy?

The Independent  

When Scottish inventor James Watt came up with a new steam engine design in 1765 that required 75 per cent less coal to operate than its predecessor, many people logically presumed that coal consumption would plummet. By 1882, the world’s first coal power plant opened in London to launch a new era of electricity generation that continues to see coal …

Mapped: The greenest countries in Europe
5 months, 2 weeks ago

Mapped: The greenest countries in Europe

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Earlier this year, wind and solar power overtook fossil fuel-generated power for the first time in Europe, …

EU transition to renewables hastens
7 months, 3 weeks ago

EU transition to renewables hastens

China Daily  

Solar panels of Germany's largest solar park Weesow-Willmersdorf by energy supplier EnBW AG are seen in Werneuchen, Germany, Sept 21, 2023. The breakthrough was calculated by the United Kingdom-based independent energy think tank Ember, which said in a report released this week that electricity from wind and solar sources contributed 30 percent of the EU's electricity needs during the first …

Solar can provide 20% of world electricity on northern summer solstice, thinktank says
9 months ago

Solar can provide 20% of world electricity on northern summer solstice, thinktank says

The Hindu  

The world has enough solar power capacity to generate a fifth of its midday peak electricity needs on the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, up from 16% last year, a report by thinktank Ember showed on Friday. Last year, solar generated a record 5.5% of global electricity, the Ember report added, and 34 economies in the …

Renewables provide record 30% of global electricity in 2023
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Renewables provide record 30% of global electricity in 2023

China Daily  

A Zoom screenshot from the fifth annual Global Electricity Review of Ember shows a range of experts discussing the global shift to clean electricity in late May 8. CHINA DAILY Renewables generated a record 30 percent of global electricity in 2023, driven by growth in solar and wind especially from China, according to the Global Electricity Review 2024 released by …

The world just passed a major clean energy milestone
10 months, 2 weeks ago

The world just passed a major clean energy milestone

CNN  

CNN — The world has passed a clean energy milestone, as a boom in wind and solar meant a record-breaking 30% of the world’s electricity was produced by renewables last year, new data shows. The planet is reaching “a crucial turning point” toward clean energy, according to the Global Electricity Review published Wednesday by climate think tank Ember. It’s a …

Renewable energy overtakes gas in the UK, analysis shows
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Renewable energy overtakes gas in the UK, analysis shows

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Renewable energy sources generated more electricity than gas in the UK this winter, …

In Europe, wind power now generates more electricity than coal
1 year, 2 months ago

In Europe, wind power now generates more electricity than coal

Firstpost  

Europe’s power producers generated more electricity from wind than from coal for the first time in the last quarter of 2023, marking a key milestone for regional energy transition efforts. New policy support agreed by European lawmakers in late 2023, including financing for turbine manufacturers and shorter permitting times for developers, should help further boost regional wind generation in 2024, …

Germany’s CO2 emissions are at their lowest in 7 decades, study shows
1 year, 2 months ago

Germany’s CO2 emissions are at their lowest in 7 decades, study shows

Associated Press  

BERLIN — Carbon dioxide emissions in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, dropped to their lowest level in seven decades as the use of coal declined unexpectedly sharply in 2023 and economic pressures weighed down production by energy-intensive industry, according to a study released Thursday. The Agora Energiewende think tank said its preliminary calculations show that Germany emitted 673 million metric tons …

Half of the electricity used in 2023 came from renewable sources
1 year, 2 months ago

Half of the electricity used in 2023 came from renewable sources

NL Times  

Half of the electricity used in the Netherlands last year came from renewable sources. Most came from biomass and wind energy, but the amount of solar energy is also rising, claims Energieopwek. Energieopwek reported earlier this year in May that, for the first time, more power was generated through solar panels than through biomass. In total, the share of renewable …

World coal consumption to decline next year after record high in 2023: IEA
1 year, 3 months ago

World coal consumption to decline next year after record high in 2023: IEA

New Indian Express  

PARIS: World coal consumption should start declining next year after peaking in 2023, the International Energy Agency said on Friday. The IEA's latest forecast came after nearly 200 countries at the COP28 UN climate talks adopted a deal stating that the world will be "transitioning away from fossil fuels" to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and limit global warming. Scientists …

UK renewables generated record amount of electricity in 2022, figures show
1 year, 7 months ago

UK renewables generated record amount of electricity in 2022, figures show

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy UK renewables generated a record …

Dutch solar power output jumped by 46% last year; Netherlands now 5th in Europe
1 year, 9 months ago

Dutch solar power output jumped by 46% last year; Netherlands now 5th in Europe

NL Times  

The amount of solar energy produced in the Netherlands last year rose by nearly half when compared to the year before. During the most recent calendar year, the Netherlands produced 16.8 billion kilowatt hours from solar energy. The energy produced by solar panels on the roofs of homes and residences rose by 50 percent to 6.9 billion kWh. “The installed …

Germany to ease solar rules as new installations surge
1 year, 10 months ago

Germany to ease solar rules as new installations surge

Associated Press  

BERLIN — Germany’s energy minister announced plans Friday to ease bureaucratic hurdles for solar power as the country set a new record for photovoltaic installations during the first quarter. Europe’s biggest economy added 2.7 gigawatts of solar power capacity during the first three months of 2023, putting it on course to beat the target of 9 GW this year, compared …

Renewable energy record signals ‘end to the fossil age’
1 year, 11 months ago

Renewable energy record signals ‘end to the fossil age’

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Figures from UK-based energy think tank Ember, published on Wednesday, found that wind and solar supplied a …

EU reaches deal on more ambitious renewable energy targets for 2030
1 year, 11 months ago

EU reaches deal on more ambitious renewable energy targets for 2030

The Hindu  

European Union negotiators struck a political deal on Thursday on more ambitious targets to expand the use of renewable energy by 2030, an important pillar of the bloc's plans to fight climate change and end the use of Russian fossil fuels. Sweden leads the 27 EU countries with its 63% renewable energy share, while in Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands and …

The Netherlands generated 15 percent more sustainable energy this year
2 years, 2 months ago

The Netherlands generated 15 percent more sustainable energy this year

NL Times  

The Netherlands generated nearly one-sixth more renewable energy this year than in 2021, saving about 1,6 billion cubic meters of gas, according to Energieopwek, which tracks green energy production. There are now 2 million homes equipped with solar panels, compared to 1,5 million last year. 41 percent of the energy consumed in the Netherlands is now generated sustainably, compared to …

Renewable energy to overtake coal in US for first ever time this year
2 years, 4 months ago

Renewable energy to overtake coal in US for first ever time this year

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Renewable energy sources like solar and wind will generate more power than coal or nuclear …

Lights out, ovens off: Europe preps for winter energy crisis
2 years, 5 months ago

Lights out, ovens off: Europe preps for winter energy crisis

Associated Press  

FRANKFURT, Germany — As Europe heads into winter in the throes of an energy crisis, offices are getting chillier. With costs high and energy supplies tight, Europe is rolling out relief programs and plans to shake up electricity and natural gas markets as it prepares for rising energy use this winter. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said this month that early …

Summer of ’22 brought record heat, solar power to Europe
2 years, 6 months ago

Summer of ’22 brought record heat, solar power to Europe

Associated Press  

BERLIN — Europe smashed previous temperature records this summer, with long periods of sunshine causing sweltering conditions and droughts across much of the continent but also helping boost much-needed solar power, according to data published Thursday. Separately, energy think tank Ember said the European Union set a new record for solar power this summer, reducing the need for natural gas …

European summer brought record heat, solar power to the continent
2 years, 6 months ago

European summer brought record heat, solar power to the continent

Al Jazeera  

Long periods of sunshine caused sweltering conditions and droughts throughout much of the continent. Europe smashed previous temperature records during its summer, with long periods of sunshine causing sweltering conditions and droughts across much of the continent but also helping boost much-needed solar power, according to data published on Thursday. Separately, energy think-tank Ember said the European Union set a …

European Union to unveil new responses to energy crisis
2 years, 6 months ago

European Union to unveil new responses to energy crisis

The Hindu  

The European Union's next steps for addressing the continent's worsening energy crisis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine are expected to be unveiled next week, the European commissioner for energy said on September 6. Russia's state-run energy company has continued its shutdown of a pipeline carrying natural gas to Europe, in what German officials see as a political power play, and …

Infographic: How much of Europe’s energy comes from gas?
2 years, 6 months ago

Infographic: How much of Europe’s energy comes from gas?

Al Jazeera  

In 2021, one-third of Europe’s energy – used for generating electricity, transport and heating – came from burning gas. Energy prices have hit new highs across Europe this week after Russia announced that gas flows to Europe would not resume until sanctions are lifted. In 2021, Russia, Germany, the UK, Italy and France consumed three-quarters of the continent’s 10,073 terrawatt …

European power prices shatter records as energy crisis intensifies
2 years, 6 months ago

European power prices shatter records as energy crisis intensifies

CNN  

London CNN Business — Power prices in Europe continue to smash records, intensifying the region’s energy crisis and fanning fears about access to electricity and heating as the weather begins to cool. German power prices for next year, which are considered Europe’s benchmark, briefly jumped above €1,000 per megawatt hour on Monday before falling back to €840 per megawatt hour. …

Solar power is booming in Germany as Russia turns down the gas
2 years, 7 months ago

Solar power is booming in Germany as Russia turns down the gas

CNN  

Dortmund, Germany CNN Business — People on the frontlines of Europe’s gas crisis are scrambling to get solar panels for their homes and businesses as they confront a “perfect storm” that’s sending energy prices to record levels. “Our business is booming because there’s a perfect storm of elements converging that are really lifting solar energy,” Gordon told CNN Business. Similarly, …

Bountiful wind, sun boost German renewable power this year
2 years, 11 months ago

Bountiful wind, sun boost German renewable power this year

Associated Press  

BERLIN — Germany recorded about 25% more electricity generated from renewable sources in the first three months of the year compared with the same period last year thanks to unusually windy and sunny weather, industry officials said Monday. Preliminary calculations by the energy lobby group BDEW and the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research indicate that Germany generated about …

Global power sector emissions rise to pre-pandemic levels, finds review
3 years, 6 months ago

Global power sector emissions rise to pre-pandemic levels, finds review

Hindustan Times  

Rising global electricity demand in the first half of 2021 outpaced growth in clean electricity leading to an increase in emissions-intensive coal power. Global electricity demand also rose by 5% in the first half of 2021 as compared to pre-pandemic levels, which was mostly met by wind and solar power but also an increase in coal power. Even as many …

50% cheaper to generate electricity from renewables compared with fossil fuel-powered plants, analysis finds
3 years, 7 months ago

50% cheaper to generate electricity from renewables compared with fossil fuel-powered plants, analysis finds

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Research by the energy think tank Ember said it is now around 50 per cent cheaper to create electricity …

UK sixth in world for wind and solar electricity generation
3 years, 8 months ago

UK sixth in world for wind and solar electricity generation

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Wind and solar power accounted for 29 percent of Britain’s electricity production last year, putting …

Renewables overtake fossil fuels for first time in UK as Europe transitions to green energy
4 years, 1 month ago

Renewables overtake fossil fuels for first time in UK as Europe transitions to green energy

The Independent  

The rapid rise of renewables continued in 2020 with wind, solar, bioenergy and hydropower overtaking fossil fuels to collectively become the UK’s largest source of electricity for the first time. Analysis from think tanks Ember and Agora Energiewende found that those four cleaner energies accounted for a record 42 per cent of the country’s electricity generation last year, while fossil …

Renewables Beat Fossil Fuels in EU for First Time Last Year
4 years, 1 month ago

Renewables Beat Fossil Fuels in EU for First Time Last Year

Hindustan Times  

Renewables are for the first time the dominant power source in Europe’s electric grid. In a year that saw pandemic restrictions sap energy demand across the continent, the drop in supply came mostly from more expensive power from fossil fuels. That was just enough to surpass fossil-powered generation for the first time, which dropped to 37%, according to analysis of …

Renewables outstrip fossil fuels as the EU’s main source of power
4 years, 1 month ago

Renewables outstrip fossil fuels as the EU’s main source of power

Al Jazeera  

Renewables overtook fossil fuels as the European Union’s main source of electricity for the first time in 2020 as new projects came online and coal power shrank, a report shows. Renewable sources such as wind and solar generated 38 percent of the 27-member bloc’s electricity in 2020, with fossil fuels such as coal and gas contributing 37 percent, the report …

10 ways renewable energy’s boom year will shape 2021
4 years, 2 months ago

10 ways renewable energy’s boom year will shape 2021

Live Mint  

Despite the pandemic, the new year begins with surging growth for renewable energy. America’s solar broke good and bad records Residential installations in the US dropped nearly 20% in the second quarter of 2020 from the first—the most ever—as the pandemic prompted stay-at-home orders, according to Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association. On the plus side, though, bids …

Solar power could be ‘the new king’ as global electricity demand grows
4 years, 5 months ago

Solar power could be ‘the new king’ as global electricity demand grows

CNN  

London CNN Business — Renewable energy, led by solar power, could make up 80% of the growth in electricity generation over the next decade, according to a report published Tuesday. Solar performs even more strongly in the IEA’s“Sustainable Development Scenario,” in which a surge in clean energy policies and investment puts the world on track to reach the goals of …

Climate crisis: Wind and solar produce record 10% of world’s electricity, but scientists warn faster change is needed
4 years, 7 months ago

Climate crisis: Wind and solar produce record 10% of world’s electricity, but scientists warn faster change is needed

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Over the first half of 2020, wind turbines and solar panels together produced a record 10 per cent of …

Germany is first major economy to phase out coal and nuclear
4 years, 8 months ago

Germany is first major economy to phase out coal and nuclear

Associated Press  

BERLIN — German lawmakers have finalized the country’s long-awaited phase-out of coal as an energy source, backing a plan that environmental groups say isn’t ambitious enough and free marketeers criticize as a waste of taxpayers’ money. The plan is part of Germany’s ‘energy transition’ - an effort to wean Europe’s biggest economy off planet-warming fossil fuels and generate all of …

Ditching coal for clean energy such as wind and solar 'will save money by 2022', report predicts
4 years, 8 months ago

Ditching coal for clean energy such as wind and solar 'will save money by 2022', report predicts

Daily Mail  

Coal power stations are polluting and expensive, and the falling cost of clean energy is pushing the dirty fossil fuel to the brink of extinction, a report has found. Analysis showed installing environmentally-friendly energy sources, such as wind and solar farms, is cheaper than the running costs of 39 per cent of global coal stations. Solar and wind produced 11.45 …

Carbon emissions fall at fastest rate in 30 years as electricity sector moves away from coal
5 years ago

Carbon emissions fall at fastest rate in 30 years as electricity sector moves away from coal

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Coal-fuelled electricity declined 3 per cent in 2019, leading to a 2 per cent fall in the power sector’s …

Emissions from coal power see 'biggest fall' in decades, report finds
5 years ago

Emissions from coal power see 'biggest fall' in decades, report finds

Daily Mail  

Emissions from coal power saw the 'biggest fall' in decades last year as electricity generation switched toward solar and wind, a report has found. The global study by climate think tank Ember found that electricity generation from coal fell 3 per cent in 2019 — leading to a 2 per cent reduction in carbon emissions. Scroll down for video Emissions …

Here’s why global CO2 emissions fell by the most since 1990
5 years ago

Here’s why global CO2 emissions fell by the most since 1990

Al Jazeera  

A steep drop in the use of coal to generate power led to the fall in emissions last year, a new study shows. Global carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector fell by 2 percent last year, the biggest fall since at least 1990, owing to reduced coal usage in Europe and the United States, according to a study published …

Renewable energy providing more electricity than coal and nuclear power combined in Germany
5 years, 8 months ago

Renewable energy providing more electricity than coal and nuclear power combined in Germany

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Renewable sources of energy produced more electricity than coal and nuclear power combined for the …

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