IN 2022, THE MAJORITY OF EU ENERGY WAS GENERATED BY WIND AND SUN

01. Feb 2023
Photo: Pixabay

For the first time in history, wind and solar power supplied more electricity in the European Union than any other energy source. Together, they provided a record fifth of electricity in the EU in 2022—a larger share than gas or nuclear power, according to a report by the Ember climate research center, reported by ekapija.com.

Record additions of new solar and wind energy capacities in 2022 helped Europe more easily survive the crisis caused by sanctions on the import of Russian energy, a drop in hydroelectric power caused by drought, and, consequently, interruptions in the production of nuclear energy, the analysis says.

About 83% of the decline in hydro and nuclear energy was compensated by wind and solar energy, but also by savings and favorable weather conditions, i.e., reduced demand for electricity. The rest was covered by coal.

In total, 41 GW of new solar energy was installed in 2022, nearly 50% more than was added in 2021.

Solar electricity generation in the EU increased by a record 24% in 2022, helping to avoid €10 billion in gas costs. About 20 EU countries achieved record shares of solar energy, including the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany.

Growth in wind and solar is expected to continue this year, while hydro and nuclear are likely to recover. As a result, fossil fuel energy production could fall 20% in 2023—double the previous record set in 2020, the analysis predicts.

Source: ekapija.com

2024. © All rights reserved. RealEstate-Magazine.rs. Developed by Creative Web
We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our site. If you want to block cookies, please set your browser.