The EU's energy mix is the greenest in history, even at the expense of consumption.

The latest figures on electricity production in the European Union show that the continent's energy mix has never been "greener" than in the first six months of this year. According to data from the Eurelectric association, 74% of electricity came from so-called "emission-free" sources.

Half of the clean energy was produced by hydro, wind, and photovoltaic power plants, with the remaining 24% supplied by nuclear power plants, which are the most powerful type of source, generating approximately 334 TWh of electricity. This was followed by onshore wind power plants (236 TWh) and hydroelectric power plants (227 TWh).

The share of fossil sources reached historically low levels. Coal-generated electricity accounted for 9% of the total volume, and natural gas for 13%.

"Electricity production in Europe has never been as low-carbon as it is now," says Kristian Ruby, Secretary General of Eurelectric.

The installed capacity of renewable sources is growing rapidly. In 2023, a record 56 GW of new solar sources and 16 GW of wind power plants were added.

The increase in the share of renewable sources in the energy mix is largely related to the reduced demand for electricity, which began to manifest in response to record electricity prices in 2022. Figures for the first half of 2024 indicate that a recovery in consumption has yet to materialize.

Demand for electricity was 5.8% lower compared to the first half of 2021 and 4.8% lower than in the same period of 2022. According to the association, this is a result of the relocation of industrial operations outside the EU, the slowing of the economy, as well as the effects of warmer weather and implemented energy savings.

"Years of stagnation in electricity demand have now turned into a regular decline. Policymakers should urgently support the absorption of electricity so that the production of clean energy receives the necessary investment signals," said K. Ruby.

Network Unpreparedness

The continuing growth of renewable sources can reduce the EU's dependence on fossil sources and bring it closer to climate goals. On the other hand, the insufficient readiness of network infrastructure, whose development pace is slower, is increasingly evident. The generated electricity thus increases demands and costs for maintaining balance in transmission and distribution systems.

One of the transmission system operators highlighting network issues is the Belgian company Elia. As reported by Reuters, the operator recently warned that the recent photovoltaic boom in the country will lead to periods of excess cheap electricity during the summer, complicating the maintenance of network balance.

Eurelectric therefore calls for strengthening the systems, including the installation of battery storage, to cope with the increasing share of electricity from variable sources.

Source: https://www.energie-portal.sk/