EU wind and solar growth displaces fossil fuel generation, report says

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🗞️ Driving the news: Wind and solar power generation in the EU surged by 46% from 2019 to 2023, displacing a fifth of the bloc's fossil fuel generation, according to a report by think tank Ember

🔭The context: Since 2019, EU wind and solar capacity increased by 65%, with wind rising 31% to 219 GW and solar more than doubling to 257 GW
• This expansion prevented a mere 1.9% drop in fossil generation, as opposed to the achieved 22% reduction

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The significant growth in renewable energy sources contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with the EU's climate goals and decreasing reliance on fossil fuels

⏭️ What's next: As the European Parliament elections approach, the push for more ambitious climate legislation might face challenges, despite existing policies to curb emissions

💬 One quote: "The EU now has more home grown wind and solar than ever, pushing both coal and gas electricity generation down to historic lows," said Sarah Brown, Europe programme director at Ember

📈 One stat: The share of total renewables in the EU electricity mix rose to 44% in 2023 from 34% in 2019, while fossil fuel generation dropped to 32.5% from 39%

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