Wind and solar power have made up a record 24% of the European Union’s electricity mix since Russia launched its war on Ukraine, a new report says, a boost that has also helped the bloc battle soaring inflation.
The growth in renewable power capacity has saved the 27-nation bloc €99 billion ($97 billion) in avoided gas imports between March and September, which is €11 billion ($10.8 billion) more when compared with the same period from last year
Nineteen of the EU’s 27 member states have achieved record wind and solar generation since March, the report found.
Poland had the greatest percentage year-on-year increase of 48.5%, while Spain recorded the greatest absolute generation increase with 7.4 terawatt hours (TWh). Spain’s renewable generation alone avoided €1.7 billion ($1.7 billion) in imported gas costs.
Wind and solar generated 345 TWh of electricity across the EU from March to September this year – a record year-on-year increase of 13%. Total renewable capacity would have been far higher, had hydroelectricity not been down 21% due to droughts this summer, which scientists say have been made worse by the human-caused climate crisis.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/17/energy/r ... imate-intl
