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Energy transition

Solar supplied 11.1% of EU electricity in 2024, more than coal's 9.8%

Solar's share was 2.9% in 2015. Coal's share was 24.6% in 2015.

By the data desk

Solar supplied 2.9% of the EU's electricity in 2015. Hydro supplied 11.5%.

In 2024 solar supplied 11.1%. It was the first full year in which solar generated more electricity than coal.

Solar's share rose from 2.9% to 11.1% between 2015 and 2024

Share of EU electricity generation, 2015 to 2024

Source: Ember, European Electricity Review 2025

Coal's share was 15.8% in 2022. It fell to 12.3% in 2023 and 9.8% in 2024. Solar's share rose from 7.0% to 11.1% in the same two years.

Step 01 of 03: Solar module prices, 2010 to 2024

A module cost $2.00 a watt in 2010. It cost $0.11 a watt in 2024.

Solar module prices fell from $2.00 to $0.11 a watt between 2010 and 2024

Average price of crystalline silicon solar modules, US dollars per watt

Source: IRENA and BloombergNEF (rounded)
Solar capacity installed in the EU, end of 2024
338 GW
+66 GW in 2024
Solar generation, 2024
304 TWh
+22% vs 2023
Coal generation, 2024
269 TWh
−16% vs 2023

Step 02 of 03: EU electricity generation by source, 2015 and 2024

Scroll to see the shares in 2015 and then in 2024.

EU electricity generation by source, 2015

Share of electricity generation

Source: Ember, European Electricity Review 2025
2015

In 2015 nuclear and coal together supplied 51% of the EU's electricity.

Coal supplied 24.6% in 2015. It was the second-largest source after nuclear.

2024

Coal supplied 9.8% in 2024. Plants closed in Germany, Spain and Portugal.

Solar supplied 11.1% in 2024. It supplied 2.9% in 2015. Wind supplied 17.4% in 2024 and gas 15.7%.

“Solar was 1% of Dutch generation in 2015. It was 18% in 2024. We have had to change how we run the grid at midday.”

Marit de VriesHead of system operations at a Dutch grid operator

Step 03 of 03: Solar share by country

Greece had the highest share in 2024 at 22.1%. Spain had 21.0%. France had 4.6%.

Solar's share in the Netherlands rose from 1.0% to 17.9% between 2015 and 2024

Solar share of electricity generation, 2015 to 2024, same scale in every panel

Source: Ember (country series rounded, illustrative)

Poland's solar share rose from 0.0% in 2015 to 10.8% in 2024. Retail electricity prices in the Netherlands and Poland rose after 2022. At those prices a rooftop system paid for itself in under seven years without subsidy.

France has cheap nuclear power and slow permitting. Its solar share was 4.6% in 2024. Germany's was 14.7%.