May acted as a record month for renewables across certain areas of Europe, with blustery and sunny conditions propelling levels of renewables supply to new heights. Data provided this week by the Wärtsilä Energy Transition Lab shows that on May 24, 55% of the continent’s energy supply came from renewables such as wind solar and hydro. The Lab claims that the share of renewables in Europe reached levels that aren’t expected for at least another decade.
Individual countries also boasted high renewables penetration. Germany hit 58% renewable generation throughout May, while the UK averaged 48%. On 30 April, renewables accounted for 74% of Spain’s electricity generation. In fact, the carbon intensity of Europe’s power supply fell by more than 20% in May compared to 2019, with coal generation a third less. Energy demand is also down 10% year-on-year, largely due to the impact of the coronavirus.
Last year was a record year for renewables across the European Union (EU). A Study by think-tanks Agora Energiewende and Sandbag confirmed that renewables accounted for 34.6% of energy across the bloc in 2019 – up from just under one-third in 2018. Wind power accounted for 13.4%, hydro delivered 10.8% with biomass at 6.2% and solar at 4.2%. All signs point to this annual record being beaten. Alongside the Transition Lab’s data, energy market analyst EnAppSys, confirmed that February 2020 was a record month for wind output across Europe.
Source: Edie
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