Solar becomes EU's biggest power source
Solar power supplied 25% of the European Union's electricity in June 2026, marking the first time the technology has reached a quarter of the bloc's monthly electricity generation and reinforcing its growing role in Europe's energy mix, according to a new report by Ember, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The EU generated a record 52 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity from solar during the month, surpassing the previous record of 47 TWh, or 23% of generation, set in May 2026. The achievement made solar the EU's largest single source of electricity for only the third month on record, ahead of nuclear power, gas, wind, hydro and coal. Nuclear accounted for 21% of electricity generation in June, followed by gas at 15%, wind at 14%, hydro at 12% and coal at 8%.
According to the report, record solar production coincided with increased electricity demand during the summer, partly driven by widespread heatwaves that boosted cooling needs. Strong solar generation helped maintain electricity supplies while other power sources faced challenges under hot and calm weather conditions.
Ember says the milestone reflects several years of rapid expansion. In June 2021, solar provided only 10% of the EU's electricity, generating 21 TWh. Between 2021 and 2025, solar output grew by more than 20% annually, the fastest pace among all major electricity sources, supported by the installation of 65.1 gigawatts of new solar capacity in 2025 alone.
The growth has been visible across the bloc. So far in 2026, 18 EU member states have set new monthly records for the share of electricity generated from solar power.
Spain produced more than one-third of its electricity from solar for the first time in June, reaching 34%, while Germany's solar share climbed to 36% after exceeding one third in May. Poland, traditionally one of Europe's largest coal users, generated nearly a quarter of its electricity from solar in June after rapidly expanding its solar capacity over the past five years.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the renewables led global energy growth for first time.
