According to an analysis, emissions in the energy sector in the EU fell more sharply last year than ever before. The 19 percent decline in emissions is due, on the one hand, to the sharp drop in electricity generation from coal and gas, according to a report published on Wednesday by the think tank Ember. According to this, electricity generation from coal has fallen by 26 percent and from gas by 15 percent, meaning that generation from fossil energies accounts for less than a third of EU electricity for the first time. In addition, the demand for electricity has fallen.
According to the information, wind and solar energy continued to increase. According to the analysis, together they generated a record share of 27 percent of EU electricity in 2023 – more than a quarter for the first time. According to the analysis, wind energy generated 18 percent of EU electricity, which corresponds to 475 terawatt hours and France’s entire electricity needs. For the first time, wind power accounted for more than gas (17 percent). Overall, the share of renewable energies in EU electricity generation rose to a record 44 percent.
Demand and change
“The EU energy sector is in the midst of a monumental transformation,” said expert Sarah Brown from Ember. “Fossil fuels are playing a smaller role than ever before as a system with wind and solar as the backbone is in sight.”
According to experts, the falling demand for electricity also contributed to the decline in electricity generation from fossil fuels. This decline in demand is not expected to be repeated in the coming years as electrification increases. “With increasing electrification through heat pumps, electric vehicles and electrolyzers, the EU will enter a new era of increasing electricity demand,” said Dave Jones of Ember. “Renewables must keep pace with this increase in demand to achieve the emissions reductions needed for a safe climate.”
