EU Power Sector in 2020

In 2020, renewables generated 38% of the EU's electricity, surpassing fossil-fired generation (37%) for the first time. This shift was driven primarily by wind and solar, while coal generation fell by 20% to 13% of the total mix. However, the report notes that the transition remains too slow to meet 2030 and 2050 climate targets, as gas generation remains high and nuclear output saw a record 10% decline.

• For the first time, renewables overtook fossil-fired generation in the EU in 2020, with renewables providing 38% of electricity compared to 37% from fossil fuels. Germany, Spain, and the UK also reached this milestone individually.
• Wind and solar were the primary drivers of renewable growth, together generating 20% of Europe's electricity in 2020. Denmark led the EU with 62% of its electricity coming from these sources, followed by Ireland, Germany, and Spain.
• Coal generation decreased by 20% in 2020, falling to 365 terawatt-hours and representing only 13% of Europe's electricity. This decline has reduced carbon intensity from 317 grams of CO2 per kilowatt-hour in 2015 to 226 grams in 2020.
• Nuclear generation experienced a record 10% drop in 2020, the largest decline since at least 1990, caused by outages in France and Belgium and plant closures in Sweden and Germany.
• To meet the EU's 2030 target of 55% greenhouse gas emission reductions, annual wind and solar additions must nearly triple to approximately 100 TWh/year, as current national plans only provide about 72 TWh/year.

APA

Ember (2021). EU Power Sector in 2020. https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/eu-power-sector-in-2020

Chicago

Ember. EU Power Sector in 2020. 2021. https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/eu-power-sector-in-2020.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Ember |title=EU Power Sector in 2020 |date=24 January 2021 |url=https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/eu-power-sector-in-2020 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ember2021power, author = {{Ember}}, title = {{EU Power Sector in 2020}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2021}, month = jan, url = {https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/eu-power-sector-in-2020}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }