Electricity generation from wind and solar power surpassed the total share of all fossil fuels in electricity generation in the European Union (EU) for the first time last month, reaching 31 percent.

Fossil fuels accounted for 27 percent (53 terawatt hours) of electricity generation in the EU in May, according to an analysis by the London-based think tank Ember.

Wind and sun, on the other hand, provided 31 percent of the total electricity with 59 terawatt hours of production. The share of wind and sun in electricity generation has surpassed all fossil fuels for the first time in a full month.

The share of solar power in EU electricity generation reached an all-time high last month, hitting 14 percent. 27 terawatt hours of solar electricity in May surpassed the record production reached in July of last year.

THE PARTICIPATION OF COAL IS 10 PERCENT

More electricity was produced from the sun than coal for the first time in the EU. Coal’s share of EU electricity generation stood at 10 percent in May.

Wind power’s share, on the other hand, continued to rise by 17 percent annually, but this rate remained below the record output level of 23 percent reached in January.

Due to the increase in electricity generation from wind and solar power, the share of coal in production hit a monthly record low in May. The 10% share of coal was even below production during the epidemic period.

According to Ember’s analysis, the drop in electricity generation from fossil fuels last month turned out to be an exceptional case.

THE PRODUCTION GROWN FROM THE SUN AND THE WIND

In the period January-May 2023, electricity generation from coal and gas decreased by 20 and 15 percent, respectively, compared to the same period of the previous year, while solar and wind production grew by 10 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

Ember Europe leader Sarah Brown, in her assessment of the data, stated that Europe’s electrical transformation was accomplished with clean energy records: “Solar and wind power not only help reduce the use of fossil fuels. Electricity generation from coal is not only bottoming out, gas is also unstable. Wind and solar power already form the backbone of the future electricity system, as the EU prepares for a major reduction in electricity generation from fossil fuels this year.” she used the phrases. (AA)