LONDON (Reuters) – Renewable energy surpassed fossil fuels as the European Union’s main source of electricity for the first time in 2020, as new projects were connected and coal power was reduced, according to a report Monday.
Renewable sources such as wind and solar generated 38% of the electricity in the 27 member states of the bloc by 2020, and fossil fuels such as coal and gas contributed 37%, according to the report of the think tanks Ember and Agora Energiewende.
(Graphs: Share of electricity production (%) in the EU 27 -)
Denmark achieved the highest proportion of wind and solar energy, providing 61% of its electricity needs by 2020. Ireland reached 35% and Germany 33%.
The data showed that the countries with the lowest share of renewables, below 5%, were Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Boundaries in households and businesses designed to limit the spread of the new coronavirus caused a 4% drop in global electricity demand in the EU last year, but the impact was felt most intensely by producers of fossil fuels, as the report shows.
Coal-fired power generation fell by 20% in 2020 and has halved since 2015.
“Coal generation fell in almost every country, and continued with the collapse of coal that was well established before Covid-19,” the report said.
Many European countries are phasing out polluting coal-fired power plants to achieve emission reduction targets, but low electricity prices amid pandemic blockages also made some coal-fired power plants unprofitable to operate compared to a cheaper renewable generation.
“Renewable energies will continue to increase, because we are installing more and more. The jury is wondering if the fossil fuels will recover, but if they do, it’s not expected to be much, ”said Dave Jones, Ember’s senior electricity analyst.
Reports by Susanna Twidale; Edited by Elaine Hardcastle