EGN NEWS DESK
European nations additionally noticed examples of renewables-heavy energy programs working reliably final 12 months. In May, Spain ran on 100 p.c renewables for 9 hours; in October, Greece did the identical for 5 hours. In November, Portugal ran on 100 p.c renewables for 149 hours — or six days in a row.
Hydropower and nuclear technology additionally rebounded from lows in 2022, pushing total carbon-free electrical energy to greater than two-thirds of the EU’s electrical energy make-up. Over the identical timeframe, fossil gas technology fell by a report 19 p.c. It now generates simply one-third of the area’s energy. Coal plummeted by a report 26 p.c final 12 months as extra crops shuttered, whereas fuel — which has been declining for the previous 4 years — additionally noticed a sharp 15 p.c drop.
Looking forward, the facility sector might want to almost double the present share of renewable technology whether it is to maintain up with each emissions-reduction objectives and the EU’s legally mandated Renewable Energy Directive. The latter requires all member states to supply not less than 42.5 p.c of their energy from renewables by 2030.
In different phrases, the upward trajectory of renewables in Europe goes to continue to grow.
