EU’s record solar summer helps avoid €29bn in gas imports

The solar records set this summer helped keep the lights on and reduced the EU’s now critical gas consumption, providing short-term relief to the soaring cost of energy. With skyrocketing fossil gas prices expected to continue for several years, Europe can ease the crisis by urgently stepping up its deployment of solar. This would also be beneficial for the climate – by 2035, our modelling shows that solar would need to achieve as much as ninefold growth to put Europe on a pathway compatible with 1.5C.

Most European countries have already increased their ambition in response to the current crisis. The European Commission’s recent REPowerEU proposal aims to double solar capacity by 2025 compared to 2020 values as part of reaching an updated 45% renewable energy target in 2030. To make sure solar energy keeps bringing benefits to European citizens, it is essential to confirm this new 45% target in the upcoming EU parliament vote on the revised Renewable Energy Directive. 

While ambitious targets are critical, their execution is equally important. Solar power is quick to deploy, but barriers prevent its rapid deployment in many European countries. Ember’s recent analysis shows that plans for the upcoming years fall short of what is needed. This is largely due to permitting bottlenecks, with several countries exceeding the legally binding limits of project development times.

Now is the time for Europe to cut the red tape and unleash the power of solar. This is essential not only for climate targets but, perhaps most of all, for the security of the continent and our electricity bills.