Renewables overtook fossil fuels to become the EU’s main source of electricity for the first time in 2020. This report compiles and analyses the full-year 2020 electricity generation of every EU country, tracking Europe’s electricity transition.

In 2019, the EU electricity sector emitted 12 per cent less CO2 than in the previous year. At the same time, the share of renewables in electricity production rose EU-wide to 35 per cent, a new record. These are the main findings in a study of current electricity data carried out by Agora Energiewende and climate think-tank Sandbag. Greenhouse gas emissions from EU power plants declined more sharply in 2019 than in any year since at least 1990. All in all, emissions fell by 120 million tonnes, a decrease of 12 per cent relative to the previous year’s level.

Solar energy is set to become the cheapest source of electricity in many parts of the world within the next 10 years, with the cost of photovoltaics continuing to decline. In fact, in some parts of the world, solar energy would become cheaper than the heavily subsidised fossil fuel energy, says a report.