EU solar power generation hits record high

Solar power supply in the EU during June and July rose to a record high in 2021, accounting for 10 percent of total electricity produced in the region, reads a report by independent climate think-tank Ember, Report informs referring to the think-tank’s website.

“New analysis by energy think tank Ember reveals that, for the first time, solar panels generated a tenth of EU-27 electricity during their peak months of June and July this year,” reads the report.

Seven EU countries generated over a tenth of their electricity from solar panels in June-July 2021, with the Netherlands (17 percent), Germany (17 percent), Spain (16 percent), Greece (13 percent), and Italy (13 percent) leading the way.

Hungary has quadrupled its solar share since June-July 2018, while the Netherlands and Spain have doubled. Estonia and Poland have gone from near-zero solar in 2018 to 10 percent and 5 percent respectively in June-July 2021.

“Europe has had a record-breaking summer for solar power, but it is yet to harness its full potential. The cost of solar power has tumbled in the last decade, and we are seeing the first signs of Europe’s solar revolution in countries like Spain, the Netherlands, Hungary, and even coal-heavy Poland. However, there is a long way to go before solar provides more power than fossil fuels, even in the height of Europe’s summer sun,” said Ember analyst Charles Moore.

However, solar panels still generated less electricity than Europe’s coal power plants, even during the height of their summer peak. The analysis shows that annual growth in solar output needs to double to meet the EU’s 2030 emissions targets.