The report, which has been monitoring the EU power sector since 2015, found that renewable energy produced 38% last year, compared to 37% produced by fossil fuels.
The shift comes because other sources, such as wind and solar power, have increased in the European Union. Both sources have almost doubled since 2015, and last year accounted for a fifth of electricity generation in EU countries. This is also the reason why coal power decreased by 20% last year and generated only 13% of electricity in Europe.
“The rapid growth in wind and solar power has slowed down coal, but this is just the beginning,” said Dave Jones, senior analyst at Ember and lead author of the report, in a statement. Europe is relying on wind and solar power to ensure that not only coal is phased out by 2030, but also to phase out gas generation, the closure of nuclear power plants and to meet the growing demand for electricity from electric motors, heat pumps and electrolysers. “
Last year’s closure measures for Covid-19 led to less demand for electricity around the world. According to the report, European demand fell by 4% in 2020, saying Covid’s trends had no impact on the growth of renewable energy sources. Since 2015, electricity emissions in Europe have shown a historic decline and become 29% cleaner, the report said.
“The economic recovery following the pandemic may not slow down climate action,” Patrick Graichen, director of Agora Energiewende, said in a statement. “We therefore need a strong climate policy – as in the Green Deal – to ensure steady progress.”