In the first half of this year, renewable energy sources (RES) produced more electricity in the European Union than fossil fuels for the first time ever. According to a new analysis from energy think tank Ember, electricity generated from wind and solar reached a record 30% in the last six months, compared to 27% from fossil fuels. The remaining 43% was from hydropower, nuclear, and other sources.

Wind and solar energy have surpassed fossil fuels in 13 EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Collectively, these countries account for 70% of the EU's total electricity demand, with the remaining 30% spread across 14 other nations. Remarkably, just five years ago, only four of the 27 EU countries generated more electricity from wind and solar than from fossil fuels.

Several nations have also achieved significant renewable energy milestones in the past six months. In May 2024, over half of Spain's electricity generation came from wind and solar for the first time. In the same month, Poland reached the milestone of generating one-third of its electricity from wind and solar power. Hungary set new records in solar power generation in April, May, and June this year.

Ember analyst Dr Chris Rosslowe stated, "We are witnessing a historic shift in the power sector, and it is happening rapidly." Emissions from the EU energy sector in the first half of 2024 were 31% lower than in 2022. Mild weather and strong hydropower performance also contributed to the reduction in fossil fuel energy production. However, according to Ember's analysis, the primary factor was the growth of the wind and solar energy sectors.

Poland has often been criticised for lagging behind the rest of Europe in terms of renewable energy sources (RES). This situation has arisen from the political decisions of successive governments, which have steadfastly clung to unprofitable coal extraction and use. As a result, Polish electricity is not only the "dirtiest" in Europe but also the most expensive. Currently, solar power costs a third of what it costs to burn coal, and wind power is less than half the price.

Will the current government succeed in addressing this civilisational lag? To achieve this, there must be an acceleration in the development of RES and the long-overdue launch of nuclear power plants. The Minister for Climate and Environment, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, has announced an amendment to the detrimental "wind turbine law" introduced by the Law and Justice government. Additionally, after several months of deliberation, concrete announcements have been made regarding the construction of a nuclear power plant in northern Poland, expected to be operational by 2035.

Source: euronews.com