According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), gas-fired power generation in the European Union rose by roughly 20% in the first half of this year compared with the same period in 2024. Coal-fired generation also increased, though more modestly, by about 3%.

“The rise in fossil-fired generation was driven by weak renewables output, which necessitated a greater reliance on dispatchable thermal output,” the report stated, noting a 15% drop in hydropower and a 10% decline in wind generation.

In contrast, solar power maintained its growth momentum, rising by over 20%, while nuclear generation edged up by only 1%, “supported by improved plant availability, particularly in France, which accounts for over half of the nuclear power generation in the European Union.”

For the entire year, the IEA projects gas-fired generation to rise by around 4%, before decreasing by 10% next year “under normal weather assumption.” However, coal-fired generation is expected to decline by 3%, “as a rise in the first half of the year is expected to be more than offset by a decline in the second half, driven by an assumed recovery in renewable generation.”

The EU is also expected to record a large decrease in absolute emissions by 2026. However, power sector emissions in China are projected to decline the most, while those in India and Southeast Asia are expected to continue growing at a significant pace.