Europe’s electricity system crossed a historic threshold in 2025, with renewable energy overtaking fossil fuels for the first time, and Greece emerging as one of the bloc’s strongest performers. According to Ember’s European Electricity Review 2026, wind and solar generation together accounted for a larger share of EU electricity than coal and gas combined, marking a structural shift in the region’s energy mix.

Across the EU, wind power supplied 16.9 percent of electricity in 2025, while solar contributed 13.2 percent. Together, they reached a combined share of 30 percent, edging past fossil fuels at 29 percent. When hydropower is included, renewables generated 48 percent of total EU electricity, underscoring how quickly clean power is becoming the system backbone.

Greece’s Solar Performance Stands Out

Greece ranked third among all EU member states for the share of solar power in its national electricity mix, trailing only Hungary and Cyprus and ahead of Spain and the Netherlands. Solar generation exceeded 20 percent of total electricity production in Greece, reflecting rapid deployment of photovoltaic capacity and favorable conditions for solar output.

Solar power across the EU reached a new record of 369 terawatt-hours in 2025, increasing by more than 20 percent for the fourth consecutive year. Every EU country expanded solar generation compared with 2024, highlighting the technology’s role as the fastest-growing pillar of Europe’s energy transition.

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Coal Declines as Greece Hits Historic Lows

Coal-fired electricity continued its sharp decline across Europe. EU-wide coal generation fell to just 9.2 percent of total electricity in 2025, down from around 25 percent a decade ago. Greece recorded one of its lowest coal shares on record at just 5 percent, placing it among a growing group of countries where coal has become marginal or effectively phased out.

Nineteen EU member states now report coal shares of zero or below 5 percent. Ireland fully exited coal power in June 2025, while Finland completed its coal phaseout in April, five years ahead of its original target.

Gas Use Rises Despite Renewables Growth

Despite the strong expansion of renewables, natural gas generation increased by 8 percent year-on-year in 2025, largely due to lower hydropower output. This rise had cost implications. EU electricity-sector gas import costs reached €32 billion, up 16 percent compared with 2024, contributing to higher wholesale electricity prices in 21 EU countries.

The contrast highlights a key transition challenge: while renewables are increasingly dominant, system flexibility and weather-dependent generation still leave parts of the power system exposed to fossil fuel price volatility.

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What This Means for Europe’s Energy Transition

Greece’s performance illustrates how sustained solar investment can deliver rapid shifts in national power mixes, even as the broader EU grapples with balancing renewables growth, grid stability, and energy affordability. The 2025 milestone signals that Europe’s electricity transition is no longer incremental. Renewables are now structurally reshaping the system, with countries like Greece demonstrating how quickly clean power can move from supplement to cornerstone.

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