Never before has this happened. The combined output of wind and solar power surpassed fossil fuels for the first time in 2025 in terms of electricity generation in the European Union. This is the main milestone revealed in the European Electricity Review report, published this Thursday by the British think tank Ember, specializing in the analysis of the European energy market.
Both energies generated 30.1% of the electricity -solar 13.2%,with 368 terawatt-hours (TWh) and wind 16.9%, with 473 TWh- compared to 29% from the combined production of burning coal (9.2%), gas (16.7%) and other fossil sources, mainly oil derivatives (3.1%).
The milestone is mainly due to a critically important increase in solar power in the 27 countries last year compared to 2024, of 20.1%, more than a fifth. This is the fourth consecutive year that this type of energy has increased by similar percentages, although this type of clean generation has been increasing uninterruptedly since the 2000s. In 2024,it already surpassed coal in electricity generation in the 27.
The combined generation of solar and wind power has risen from 19.7% of the total electricity generated in the EU in 2020 to 30.1% in 2025
Such an increase is due to the fact that all EU countries increased their solar capacity compared to the previous year,which Ember describes as “a context of strong expansion of installed solar capacity in the region.” This accounted for more than a fifth of the electricity generated in five countries: Hungary (28%), Cyprus (25%), Greece (22%), spain (22%) and the netherlands (21%).
In total,wind and solar energies generated more electricity than all fossil sources in 14 of the 27 countries
Gas Plant Use Rose in Spain in 2025 Due to Grid Stability Needs
Spain saw an increase in gas plant usage in 2025 as these facilities were relied upon for dynamic voltage control of the electrical grid,a situation officials expect to be temporary. The rise stems from current regulations, which are slated to change with the increased integration of renewable energy sources into grid stabilization.
Regulatory Changes Enable Renewable Grid Control
Several changes to operating procedures were approved in June 2025 at the request of Red eléctrica Española (REE),Spain’s transmission system operator. These changes will allow renewable energy sources to manage voltage control starting in January 2026, according to Wilmar Suárez, an Energy Analyst at Ember.
Suárez stated that cleaner alternatives can limit the need for gas plants. REE announced in October 2025 that the first renewables capable of contributing to dynamic voltage control had been enabled.
