Renewables accounted for 54.1% of electricity generated in the European Union (EU) in the second quarter of 2026, down from 54.3% a year earlier, as total power generation grew faster than renewable generation, Eurostat data showed.
Renewable electricity generation increased 2.8% year-on-year, while total electricity generation rose 3.2%. Gas-fired generation increased 3.9% over the same period, the data showed.
Solar remained the largest renewable source, accounting for 41.6% of renewable electricity generation, up from 37% a year earlier. Wind accounted for 27.7% and hydropower for 22.6%.
The figures also show wide differences among EU member states. Renewables accounted for 97.7% of electricity generation in Latvia, 94.3% in Denmark and 92.2% in Croatia, while the shares stood at 19.8% in Slovakia, 20.9% in Czechia and 24.5% in Malta.
Renewables accounted for 26.2% of the EU's gross final energy consumption in 2025, up from 25.2% in 2024. The EU aims to raise this share to at least 42.5% by 2030, with an ambition to reach 45%.
The bloc aims to become climate-neutral by 2050. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the EU launched the REPowerEU plan to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy and reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
By Fuat Kabakci
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr
