Electricity
1) Where Europe Stands Now
EU-27, 2024: Renewables rose from 34% (2019) to 47% (2024); solar overtook coal for the first time; wind remained the 2nd-largest source.
Q1-2025: Renewables share eased to 42.5% (vs 46.8% in Q1-2024) as wind/hydro output fell; solar rose from 41 TWh → 55 TWh YoY but couldn’t fully offset.
Global context: Renewables supplied ~one-third of world power in 2024; clean (RE+nuclear) covered ~two-fifths.
2) What’s Driving (and Dragging) the Mix
Capacity buildout: IEA projects renewables’ electricity share rising from ~30% (2023) to ~46% (2030) globally; Europe is ahead but weather risk remains.
Policy floor: AFIR, REPowerEU, and ETS tighten the screws on fossil generation and ease grid connection/permits for wind/solar and storage. (Trend synthesis from Ember & EU updates.)
System flexibility: Storage, interconnectors, demand response, and electrification loads (EVs, heat pumps, data centers) require smarter balancing (IEA, Electricity 2024/25).
3) 2025 Priorities into 2030
Weather-proofing the mix: More firm clean (hydro+pumped, nuclear life-extension) and storage to cushion low-wind periods.
Accelerated grids: Cross-border capacity and dynamic congestion management to unlock stranded renewables.
Markets that reward flexibility: Locational signals, capacity for fast reserve, and time-of-use retail pricing.
Cultural note (EU): Cross-border travel and pan-EU commerce make interoperable, low-carbon power and transparent guarantees of origin increasingly visible to consumers and corporates.
