Fossil fuels’ share in EU power mix at lowest level since records began

Fossil fuels produced just 33% of the EU’s power in the first half of this year, the lowest share on record based on data going back to 1990, researchers
said on Wednesday.
The main reason was lower electricity demand, which meant rising renewable energy output could meet a bigger proportion of electricity demand, the think tank Ember said. Mild weather, consumption-cutting policies and high gas and power prices, in the wake of Russia slashing gas deliveries to Europe last year, have encouraged industries and consumers to curb energy use.
EU power demand in January-June was 4.6% lower than the same period in 2022 and the 33% generated by fossil fuels was down from 38% in the same period a year earlier.
Across the EU’s 27 member countries, fossil fuel-based power generation fell by 17% in the first half of the year, compared with the first half of 2022, Ember said. Coal, the most CO2-emitting fossil fuel, posted the steepest decline.