In times of crisis like this one likes to hear this news: According to a recent study, more solar energy was produced in the EU this summer than ever before. According to an analysis by think tank Ember Climate, there was an increase of 22 terawatt hours between May and August compared to the summer months of 2021 to a total of 99.4 terawatt hours.
According to the calculations, 29 billion euros of gas would have been purchased to generate this amount of electricity using gas, using current gas prices as a comparison value. According to the study, 12 percent of the electricity produced in the European Union came from the sun between May and August. Last year it was only nine percent. “As Europe is rocked by the gas crisis, solar power is providing much-needed relief,” said Pawl Czyzak of Ember Climate. The think tank aims to use data-driven insights into the world of alternative energy sources to convince politicians and key decision-makers to ease the transition “from coal to clean electricity”.
Poland has massively expanded capacity
The study now presented found that 18 states produced more solar energy this summer than ever before. First and foremost was the Netherlands with a share of 23 percent. This was followed by Germany with 19 percent – almost a fifth of the electricity produced – and Spain with 17 percent.
Poland has made the most progress in ramping up solar systems: the country has increased its solar capacity by a factor of 26 since 2018, it said. Poland produced eight percent of its electricity from solar energy this year. The increase in many Member States is mainly due to the increase in solar capacity in recent years by about 15 percent per year.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
