The report, which has followed the EU’s energy sector since 2015, found that renewable energies provided 38% of electricity last year, compared with 37% of fossil fuels.
The change comes at a time when other sources, such as wind and solar energy, have increased in the European Union. Both sources have almost doubled since 2015 and last year accounted for a fifth of electricity generation in EU countries, the report concluded. It is also the reason why coal energy dropped 20% last year, representing only 13% of the electricity generated in Europe.
“The rapid growth of wind and solar energy has forced coal to decline, but this is just the beginning,” Dave Jones, senior electricity analyst at Ember and lead author of the report, said in a statement. “Europe is relying on wind and solar energy to ensure not only the elimination of coal by 2030, but also to eliminate gas generation, replace the closure of nuclear power plants and meet the growing demand for electricity from electric cars, gas pumps and heat and electrolysers. “
Last year’s Covid-19 blocking measures resulted in less demand for electricity worldwide. European demand decreased by 4% in 2020, according to the report, which states that Covid’s trends have not affected the growth of renewable energy sources. Since 2015, Europe’s electricity emissions have seen a historic decline, becoming 29% cleaner, the report noted.
“The post-pandemic economic recovery should not slow down climate action,” said Patrick Graichen, director of Agora Energiewende, in a statement. “Therefore, we need a strong climate policy – as in the Green Agreement – to ensure steady progress.”