Electrical energy pylons with high-voltage energy strains are seen subsequent to wind generators close to Weselitz, Germany November 18, 2022. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photograph Acquire Licensing Rights
BRUSSELS, Aug 30 (Reuters) – Fossil fuels produced simply 33% of the EU’s energy within the first half of this 12 months, the bottom share on document based mostly on information going again to 1990, researchers stated on Wednesday.
The primary cause was decrease electrical energy demand, which meant rising renewable vitality output might meet a much bigger proportion of electrical energy demand, the assume tank Ember stated. Delicate climate, consumption-cutting insurance policies and excessive gasoline and energy costs, within the wake of Russia slashing gasoline deliveries to Europe final 12 months, have inspired industries and customers to curb vitality use.
EU energy demand in January-June was 4.6% decrease than the identical interval in 2022 and the 33% generated by fossil fuels was down from 38% in the identical interval a 12 months earlier.
Throughout the EU’s 27 member international locations, fossil fuel-based energy technology fell by 17% within the first half of the 12 months, in contrast with the primary half of 2022, Ember stated. Coal, probably the most CO2-emitting fossil gas, posted the steepest decline.
In Might, coal produced lower than 10% of EU electrical energy for the primary time on document.
The drop in gas-fuelled energy technology was much less steep, as EU international locations changed Russian gasoline with alternate options.
Clear vitality technology elevated as international locations proceed to put in wind farms and solar panels. Nonetheless, whereas wind and photo voltaic produced 23TWh extra energy in January-June 2023, in contrast with the identical interval final 12 months, Ember stated motion to combine extra renewables into energy grids was urgently wanted.
In international locations together with Spain and Poland, solar energy has at occasions been reduce off to keep away from overwhelming energy grids or as a result of it’s cheaper to chop off solar energy than change off fossil gas energy crops.
“There are hot-spots of grid congestion and renewables curtailment,” Ember analyst Chris Rosslowe stated.
“One actually fast factor that could possibly be achieved is accelerating the deployment of storage on the grid. Battery storage initiatives may be constructed in a short time,” he stated.
Hydropower technology in January-June recovered in contrast with final 12 months’s drought-driven lows, whereas nuclear output was barely decrease 12 months on 12 months.
Reporting by Kate Abnett; Modifying by Susan Fenton
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