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Solar Power Meets Quarter of Europe's Needs in June for 1st Time, Ember Says

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Solar power provided a quarter of all electricity in the EU for the very first time last month, churning out a record 52 terawatt-hours and eclipsing the previous record of 47 TWh, or 23%, set in May, energy analysts Ember said Tuesday.

Photovoltaic stood head and shoulders above other sources, with nuclear the next biggest source, providing 21%, gas 15%, wind 14% and hydro 12%.

Coal provided 8% of the total. This is the third month that solar has been the biggest single source of power, the first being June 2025.

The high solar output coincided with high demand during a series of heatwaves across the continent, helping stabilize grids as other power sources were strained by the hot weather and low wind speeds.

Heatwaves across Europe lifted electricity demand, helping solar generation meet higher cooling needs and stabilize power systems as low wind speeds and heat disrupted other generation sources, according to a Bloomberg report.

The rapid expansion of solar is also reshaping Europe's electricity market. Wholesale power prices increasingly fall around midday as abundant solar floods the grid, then surge in the evening when solar output drops and demand remains high, the report added.

The growing price swings have exposed a shortage of battery storage to absorb surplus renewable electricity. The European Union has urged measures to expand storage and improve grid flexibility as daily wholesale price volatility has widened, the report said.

Europe has nearly doubled its solar capacity since 2022 as lower panel costs and government support have accelerated installations, according to BloombergNEF.

Battery storage, however, accounts for only about 3% of that capacity, forcing grids to rely on more expensive fossil-fuel generation when solar production fades, according to the report.

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