EU avoids €11bn in gas costs thanks to solar and wind

A new study by E3G and Ember shows that wind and solar produced 25% of EU electricity since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Given the rampant inflation mainly caused by the high price of gas, the growth in renewables since last year alone avoided €11 billion in gas imports. However, the EU still spent an estimated €82 billion on fossil gas during this period to supply 20% of its electricity.

Dr Chris Rosslowe, senior analyst at Ember stated, “Wind and solar are already helping European citizens,” and added “But the future potential is even greater.”
Solar and wind generated a record 24% of EU electricity from March to September this year (345 terawatt hours), growing by a record 39 TWh year-on-year, up from 21% the same period last year. 19 EU member states have achieved a wind and solar record, including France (14%), Italy (20%), Poland (17%) and Spain (35%).

However, the report shows that past policy choices that increased the EU’s dependency on gas and held back the EU’s renewable and energy efficiency ambition are the main driver of Europe’s record-high inflation now. The report states that “Betting on gas as a bridge fuel and holding back on expanding renewable capacities are the main causes of Europe’s energy crisis”.
The conclusion highlights that the European Commission’s RePowerEU ambition has the potential to reduce Europe’s exposure to costly gas imports significantly and quickly. To make this happen, RePowerEU needs to be supported by EU member states and the European Parliament and put into legislation, currently subject to negotiations.

Artur Patuleia, Senior Associate at E3G, commented “governments need to support the clean energy ambition of RePowerEU, making it a core element of the energy price crisis response”.

Based on the briefing of the report found here. https://ember-climate.org/press-releases/eus-record-growth-in-wind-and-s...

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Main menu

EU avoids €11bn in gas costs thanks to solar and wind

In this issue

Greater efforts to improve EU air quality needed

Editorial: Air pollution exposure will remain unacceptably high

Nitrogen ruling puts Dutch CCS project on hold

Ways through the rare earth element bottleneck

Climate change will worsen air quality

The remaining global carbon budget leaves little headroom for Europe

Richest 1% of the world responsible for 17% of emissions

Health effects of extreme high temperatures

Air pollution can damage children for life

Proposal to integrate maritime transport in the EU ETS

EU must phase-out coal and gas and promote plant-rich diets to deliver on methane

Whole of Europe must do more to align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target

The higher the energy efficiency target, the greater the benefits

Regulating the most polluting livestock farms is justified

EU must reform the ETS to make it an effective instrument

European research infrastructures for climate change and air pollution policies

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Food for Thought

Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

EU climate targets aligned with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C objective

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

Air pollution in Europe and children’s health

Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

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