Thursday, 15 January 2026
Renewable energy sources supplied 47.5% of gross electricity consumption in the European Union in 2024, up 2.1 percentage points from 2023, according to the latest data. The share has risen steadily over the past two decades, from 15.9% in 2004 to 28.6% in 2014, reaching close to half of total consumption last year.
Wind and hydropower remained the main contributors to renewable electricity, accounting for 38.0% and 26.4% of renewable generation respectively, together representing almost two-thirds of the total. Solar power followed with a 23.4% share, while solid biofuels and other renewable sources contributed 5.8% and 6.4%. Solar continued to expand rapidly, increasing from 1% of renewable electricity in 2008 to 304 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2024.
At country level, renewables dominated electricity consumption in several member states. Austria recorded the highest share at 90.1%, largely due to hydropower, followed by Sweden at 88.1% (mainly hydro and wind) and Denmark at 79.7% (predominantly wind). Shares above 50% were also reported in Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Latvia, Finland, Germany, Greece and the Netherlands.
By contrast, renewables accounted for less than a quarter of electricity consumption in Malta (10.7%), Czechia (17.9%), Luxembourg (20.5%), Hungary and Cyprus (both 24.1%), and Slovakia (24.9%).
The figures reflect long-term growth in renewable capacity across the EU, supported by continued expansion of wind and solar generation and sustained contributions from hydropower.
