According to the 2026 European Electricity Sector Review (released on 28 February 2026, a collaboration between Ember, Eurelectric and the European Environment Agency), for the first time in history, total annual electricity generation from solar and wind in 2025 exceeded that from coal and gas combined. The figures: solar generated 389 TWh, wind 578 TWh, totalling 967 TWh; coal generated 222 TWh, gas 698 TWh, totalling 920 TWh. Renewables thus accounted for 36% and fossil fuels 33% (the remainder being nuclear and hydropower).

This historic shift was driven largely by record new installations in 2025: the EU added 65 GW of solar and 18 GW of wind. Germany alone contributed 14 GW of solar, while Spain and Poland each added nearly 8 GW. At the same time, natural gas demand fell 11% year on year, the largest annual decline since the 2022 energy crisis.

Analysts note that although coal and gas still play a role in grid flexibility, their system role is shifting from baseload to peaking. However, the report also warns of potential reversals: negative electricity prices became more frequent (470 hours of negative prices in 2025, up 35% year on year), and grid upgrades are lagging far behind renewable growth, causing significant curtailment in regions like Spain and Ireland. The EU Energy Commissioner commented: “We have finally crossed a tipping point, but we must now double grid investment, otherwise the achievement may not be sustainable.”