Europe Generated More Electricity From Wind and Solar Energy Than From Gas

Germany has generated the most wind and solar energy out of 27 EU countries, Deutsche Welle reports.

The EU got more energy from renewable energy sources than from gas. The data was published by analysts at Ember in a report on January 31. Ember researches the EU climate policy.

Why Wind and Solar Energy Is So Important:

Solar and wind energy accounted for about 22% of electricity production in the EU last year. At the same time, the share of gas is 20%, which is one percentage point less.

EU countries produced 203 terawatt-hours (TWh) of solar power, up 39 TWh or 24% from the previous year. This allowed the European Union to save about 10 billion euros in gas purchases, Ember analysts wrote. Wind and solar energy supplied the EU with 420 TWh of electricity, which is 33 TWh more than the previous year.

In this year, Germany received the most energy from renewable sources in the EU – 126 TWh from wind and 59 TWh from solar. However, the share of “green” energy in the total energy balance of some EU countries is higher. In particular, solar energy provides 14% of total electricity production in the Netherlands and 13% in Greece and Hungary. In Germany, this figure is only 10%.

As for wind energy, it provides more than 50 percent of Denmark’s production, almost 40 percent of Lithuania’s and about 35 percent of Ireland’s. In Germany, the share of wind and solar energy is about 20 percent.

Meanwhile, Germany made the most progress in developing solar power, along with Spain and Poland, and in wind power, along with Poland and Sweden, Ember’s report said.