Economy More electricity in the EU from wind and solar than from fossil fuels
According to an analysis, wind and solar power generated more electricity than fossil fuels in the EU last year for the first time. A good 30 percent of the EU's electricity mix in 2025 came from solar and wind energy.
22.01.2026, 00:29
SDA
29 percent came from fossil fuels, according to a report by the think tank Ember. Overall, renewables - including hydropower and energy from biomass - accounted for almost half of electricity production at 47.7 percent. According to the report, 23.4 percent was generated using nuclear power.
Electricity generation from coal reached a historic low in 2025 with a share of 9.2 percent, according to Ember. However, the EU is still heavily dependent on gas: compared to 2024, around 8 percent more of the electricity mix was generated by gas last year, accounting for 16.7 percent.
EU has decided to ban imports of gas from Russia
In 2025, the risks of energy policy blackmail by fossil fuel exporters remained high, the authors write. "Investing in domestic renewables is a key strategy to reduce this risk as geopolitical developments continue to create instability," says Ember.
At the end of last year, the EU agreed to be completely independent of Russian natural gas by the end of 2027 at the latest. Accordingly, the import of Russian gas via pipelines on the basis of long-term contracts is to be completely discontinued by November 1, 2027 at the latest. The import ban is intended to supplement existing sanctions with import restrictions and ensure that the EU states become independent of energy imports from Russia in the long term and therefore less susceptible to blackmail.
Authors warn of dependencies
Ember warns against dependencies, also with regard to the USA: "A strong dependence on a single supplier jeopardizes the security of the EU and weakens its negotiating position in geopolitical disputes and trade conflicts," the report states.
The expansion of battery storage, the strengthening of electricity grids and the expansion of demand-side management could enable a higher proportion of solar and wind energy in the energy mix. "This not only increases security of supply, but is also crucial for stable and reliable energy prices."
