European Energy Trends

2025

the European Union has crossed a historic threshold: Solar became the continent’s largest electricity source, wind surged to record levels, and renewables reached nearly half of EU generation. Explore how wind, solar, and storage are reshaping Europe’s energy future.

European Energy
Policy Centre

CONCEPT PROJECT by
aonik studio

A year of delivery

In 2025, renewables generated nearly half of the EU’s electricity for the first time. Solar overtook every other source in June, wind installations surged by 45%, and battery storage grew by the same margin. These are the new fundamentals of Europe’s energy system.

foreword by DR anabella maldini

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Europe’s renewable momentum

This report examines three pillars of Europe’s energy transformation: wind capacity and its acceleration, solar power’s rapid scale-up, and energy storage’s emerging role in balancing supply and demand. Each chapter draws on verified data from national grids, industry reports, and EU institutions.

The trends reflect coordinated policy action, falling technology costs, and urgent energy security needs. Member states raised their 2030 renewable targets following the energy crisis, while private investment in storage and grid infrastructure reached record levels.

Wind now powers communities from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. Solar has become the continent’s largest electricity source. Storage is scaling to meet grid flexibility demands. The following chapters break down what happened in 2025 and what it means for the decade ahead.

Perspectives from the Field

As Europe’s energy landscape transforms, experts across policy, markets, and infrastructure are tracking the shifts in real time. These insights reflect what the data reveals, what challenges remain unresolved, and what the transition demands next

technology

policy

Infrastructure

“LFP batteries now achieve 15 to 20-year lifespans at grid scale with 1 to 2% annual degradation. That fundamentally changes storage economics. When batteries last as long as solar panels, the business case for renewable integration becomes irrefutable.”

Dr. Matteo Fischer
Director of Energy Storage Research

“Member states raised their renewable targets after the energy crisis, and for the first time, deployment is outpacing political commitments. The transition has its own momentum now, not driven by subsidies alone, but by falling costs and energy security.”

Henrik Lindström
Head of Renewable Energy Policy

“The challenge now is no longer generating renewable electricity. It’s ensuring the grid can absorb, store, and distribute it when demand peaks. 2025 has proved infrastructure matters as much as capacity, and that grids are the new bottleneck.”

DR. Elena varga
Senior Energy Systems Analyst

The Year at a Glance

2025 redefined Europe’s energy landscape. Renewables reached historic shares of the electricity mix, solar overtook fossil fuels as the leading source, and storage infrastructure scaled rapidly to meet grid demands. These figures capture the core shifts that shaped the year.

Increase in total solar capacity

Solar capacity expanded rapidly in 2025, confirming its role as the leading source of new electricity in the EU.

New wind installations

Wind projects added around 19 gigawatts of capacity, with growth driven by both onshore and offshore deployments.T

3.8

pts

Rise in renewable share

The renewable share of EU electricity increased by 3.8 percentage points compared with the same quarter a year earlier.

EU countries with rising renewables

In 21 EU member states, the share of renewable energy in electricity generation increased year-over-year in Q3 2025.

27,3%

share of power in the EU coming from renewables

Renewables supplied nearly half of EU electricity, marking a clear step change in the continent’s power mix.

go in depth

The full report adds country breakdowns, infrastructure assessments, and projections to 2030. Download the complete analysis to explore how Europe’s energy system is transforming.

download the full report