"Solar and wind power provided more electricity than coal and gas last year, leading a global trend, said think tank Ember. Solar and wind power outperformed fossil fuels in the European Union for the first time last year, a new high watermark on Europe's transition to green and autonomous energy. The two sources of energy generated 30 percent of EU electricity, compared with 29 percent for coal and gas, Ember, a global energy think tank, said on Thursday in its European Electricity Review."
"Report author Beatrice Petrovich said the milestone moment demonstrated Europe's rapid transition away from greenhouse gas-emitting fuels. If hydroelectricity and electricity generated from decaying agricultural and food waste, known as biomass, were to be added, the renewables' share of the electricity market rose to 48 percent. Nuclear power, which is emissions-free, generated another 23 percent of EU power."
"This positive tipping point for Europe was reached thanks to an annual one-fifth surge in solar power for four years running, partly driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and its cutoff of pipeline gas to Europe. Much of Europe's transition has happened, not due to large investments in industrial-scale solar and wind farms, but thanks to rooftop photovoltaic panels installed on homes, Ember has said."
Solar and wind produced 30 percent of EU electricity last year, surpassing coal and gas at 29 percent. Adding hydroelectricity and biomass raises renewables' share to 48 percent, while nuclear provided 23 percent. Solar power surged about one-fifth annually for four consecutive years, a growth partly driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the resulting pipeline gas cutoff. Much of the expansion came from rooftop photovoltaic panels on homes rather than solely industrial-scale farms, and rooftop solar could potentially cover around 40 percent of EU needs. Solar and wind have grown at record annual rates for decades, gaining market share.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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