Europe: 71 Percent of Electricity from Clean Sources, Rest of the World at 40 Percent

The world reached a historic 40.2 percent of electricity production from low-carbon sources in 2024, according to the latest analysis from the international think tank for clean energy, Ember. This is the highest share of clean electricity since the 1940s—a period when the electricity system was fifty times smaller and dominated by hydropower. Today, however, solar energy takes the lead.

Global production from solar power plants in 2024 reached a level sufficient to power the entire India, the second most populous country in the world. However, at the same time, emissions from the electricity sector reached a new record of 14.6 billion tons of CO₂.

Europe Above Global Average

The European Union significantly leads in the energy transition. Last year, as much as 71 percent of electricity was produced from clean sources, including nuclear energy, which is nearly double the global average. Almost half of that (47%) comes from renewable sources such as solar, wind, and water.

–Europe has confirmed its global leadership position in clean energy. Not only is it increasing the share of renewable sources in the grid, but it is also showing the rest of the world how to do it successfully – emphasized Dr. Beatrice Petrovich, senior analyst at Ember.

Hungary Leads, Spain on the Rise

In the last three years, the share of solar energy in electricity production in the EU has nearly doubled and for the first time surpassed coal, reaching 11 percent. Seven member states are among the 15 countries with the highest share of solar energy in the world.

Hungary stood out with the highest share of solar energy in the electricity grid—25 percent. This success is the result of a generous program subsidizing home solar systems, which has since ended, but the installed panels will continue to produce electricity for decades.

Spain achieved the largest annual growth in solar production in the EU—an additional 10 TWh, while global leader China increased production by an impressive 250 TWh during the same period. China was responsible for more than 53 percent of the global growth in solar energy in 2024.

In absolute numbers, Germany ranked sixth in the world for solar production with 71 TWh, far behind China’s record of 834 TWh. However, as Dr. Petrovich emphasizes, ‘solar energy is no longer a story of one country—it is developing in almost all member states. This shows how flexible and scalable this technology is.’

The Next Step in the Energy Transition

According to Ember, the next challenge for the EU is not just the growth of renewable sources, but also the smart integration of solar and wind power production into the grid. This includes battery storage systems, digitalization of the grid, and broader electrification of transport, buildings, and industry.

– We have the largest electricity grid in the world, and now we need to make it smarter – highlights Petrovich.

In this context, California emerges as a model. In 2024, the combination of solar power plants and battery systems covered 20 percent of evening electricity consumption, up from 2 percent in just three years. Currently, some European countries, such as Ireland, are at that very starting point of battery infrastructure development.

– Perhaps California provides insight into what we will see in Europe by 2027 – predicts Petrovich.

However, while Petrovich cites California as a good example, it should be noted that not everything is going smoothly there either. For instance, during the heatwave in 2020, California experienced its first planned power outages in nearly two decades. The main reason was a lack of electricity in the evening hours when demand rises, and solar production ceases at sunset. This challenge is known as the Duck Curve—an imbalance between excess energy during the day and its shortage in the evening.

Additionally, wildfires and droughts, exacerbated by climate change, have damaged electricity infrastructure, leading to intentional power outages to prevent disasters. The largest electricity supplier, PG&E, filed for bankruptcy in 2019 after being found responsible for causing several major fires. Since then, California has invested billions of dollars in battery systems, so last year, 20 percent of evening consumption was covered by electricity stored from daytime solar production—a significant improvement from just 2 percent three years ago.

For Europe, this is both an example and a warning, as accelerated electrification must go hand in hand with the development of grid flexibility, energy storage, and smart tariffs that encourage consumption when renewable sources are most available.

AI and Data Centers

The rising energy consumption is not only a result of climate—it is also strongly influenced by new consumers such as artificial intelligence, data centers, electric vehicles, and heat pumps. Although AI and data centers represent an unknown variable, experts at Ember estimate that the growth of production from clean sources can keep pace with the growth of consumption, although many experts sincerely doubt this.

Heatwaves, on the other hand, have spurred a temporary increase in fossil energy, but that does not mean the world will return to old habits. The solution lies in increasing the efficiency of cooling systems, as well as expanding renewable sources.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe accelerated its energy transition to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. Today, in light of new geopolitical tensions, renewable sources are becoming a strategic tool for energy security. Central and Eastern European countries, which previously lagged behind, are now in focus and are particularly distinguished by the development of solar infrastructure and investments in battery systems. This holds the potential for a European energy turnaround that, combined with new technologies, will enable the continent not only to keep pace with global challenges but also to lead them.