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

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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.

Woman with straight brown hair wearing a white turtleneck and black lanyard, smiling gently in front of a window with green trees outside.

foreword by DR Francesca Conti

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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.

Wind turbines spread across rolling green hills under a warm orange sky at sunset.

Large solar panel farm under clear blue sky with hills and wind turbines in the background.

Two scientists in blue lab coats and safety glasses working with electronic equipment and wires in a laboratory.

Woman wearing safety glasses typing on a keyboard at a workstation with multiple monitors in an industrial laboratory.

Two workers wearing helmets and safety harnesses performing maintenance on a wind turbine against a clear blue sky.

Two people in hats and jackets inspecting solar panels mounted on a metal frame ceiling.

Rows of solar panels installed on a grassy field under a partly cloudy blue sky.

A sea dotted with multiple offshore wind turbines under a blue sky.

Two technicians in safety vests and helmets inspecting electrical equipment under solar panels in a solar farm.

Hand wearing a yellow work glove adjusting a bolt on a solar panel mounting bracket.

Wind turbines on a ridge with a winding road under a partly cloudy sky at sunset.

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.

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

infrastructure

policy

technology

“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.”

lena schneider
Senior Energy Systems Analyst

“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 Svensson
Head of Renewable Energy Policy

Man in a white shirt sitting at a desk with hands clasped, looking at the camera.

“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. João Ferreira
Director of Energy Storage Research

Large solar panel farm with rows of solar panels in front of industrial buildings and silos on a partly cloudy day.

Multiple wind turbines on snow-covered hills under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

A worker in a green shirt and safety harness installs solar panels on a house roof under a clear blue sky.

Aerial view of a flat rooftop covered with multiple rows of solar panels and HVAC units.

Man wearing a white hard hat, sunglasses, and a yellow safety vest standing with arms crossed in front of a metal transmission tower.

Solar panels behind a chain-link fence with warning signs, and numerous wind turbines in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

Person wearing gloves using a drill to install solar panels on a rooftop.

Worker wearing a white hard hat and yellow safety vest squats next to solar panels on a rooftop under a cloudy sky.

Wind turbines on green rolling hills with mountains in the background during sunset.

Offshore wind turbines with yellow bases arranged in a line in blue ocean water, viewed through a diamond-shaped metal fence.

Rows of solar panels installed on a rooftop with a city skyline and trees in the background under a cloudy sky.

Electric vehicle charging station mounted on a brick wall with charging cables and a white car partially visible in the foreground.

Low-angle view of a tall metal electricity transmission tower against a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Electrical substation with illuminated transformers and power lines under a deep blue evening sky.

Several white wind turbines standing against a clear blue sky.

Close-up of blue solar panels arranged in a grid pattern.

Wind turbine blades partially visible above dense fog under a clear sky at sunrise or sunset.

Outdoor energy storage facility with rows of large white electrical cabinets and three workers inside a fenced area.

Two workers wearing hard hats and safety gear inspecting documents next to solar panels under a clear sky.

Wind turbines scattered across a wheat field under a vibrant orange and purple sunset sky.

Rows of large white industrial battery storage units spread across a desert landscape at sunset with mountains in the background.

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