A new report published on Tuesday by energy think tank Ember revealed that the European Union has achieved  significant milestones last year in terms of clean energy, proving that “a deep transformation of the power sector is achievable and beneficial.”

According to data analysed by Ember, low carbon sources, which include nuclear power, reached 41% of global power generation in 2024, “for the first time since 1940.” However, the EU surpassed the global average by far by obtaining 71% of its electricity from clean sources. 

The biggest power provider in the region remains nuclear with a 24% share. The second biggest source was wind which provided 18% of the EU’s energy, “more than double the global average.” Meanwhile, gas and coal stood in third and sixth place, with fossil fuels holding a 29% share in the power mix, “half of the global average of 59%.”

Another impressive milestone was reached by solar generation which almost doubled in the EU over the past three years, accounting for 11% of electricity. It surpassed coal for the first time, which fell to just 9,8% in the power mix, compared to the global average of 34%.

Solar power is currently the fastest growing source of electricity across the world and the trend “shows no signs of slowing.” In the past five years, 99 countries “have doubled the amount of electricity they produce from solar power”, according to Ember.

The report acknowledges that short-term increases in fossil fuel generation may occur due to weather fluctuations—like the heat waves seen in 2024. However, it emphasizes that these temporary shifts won’t derail the global energy transition, which is now “no longer a question of if, but how fast.”