EU solar generation increased by over 20% for the fourth year running in 2025, with its share in the energy mix surpassing coal and hydro. For the first time in history, solar and wind generated more energy in the EU than fossil fuels.
Solar generated a record 369 TWh of energy across the EU in 2025, according to the European Electricity Review published by energy think tank Ember.
The result is an increase of 62 TWh on 2024 and more than doubles the 145 TWh generated in 2020. Ember says solar energy has grown at an average annual growth in generation of 21% over the past five years, a rate far beyond any other energy source.
This growth trajectory, buoyed by an added 65.1 GW of solar in the EU last year, led solar to generate a record 13% of the bloc's power in 2025, moving ahead of coal and hydro. Every EU country saw growth in solar generation increase year-on-year last year, led by Hungary with a 28% contribution to its power mix.
In Cyprus, Greece, Spain and the Netherlands, solar’s share in the electricity mix was also over 20%.
For the first time in history, solar and wind energy generated more EU electricity than fossil fuels in 2025, together responsible for a record 30% of EU power ahead of fossil fuels’ 29%.
Solar and wind generated more electricity than all fossil sources in 14 of the EU’s 27 member states.
