THREAD: Our new half-year research on Europe's electricity transition, published today..

1/9: For the first time, renewables generated more than fossil fuels! Covid sped it up, but the trend was there b4. It's caused mostly by wind+solar replacing coal..

https://ember-climate.org/project/renewables-beat-fossil-fuels/

2/9 Renewables rose by 11% (and mostly wind/solar, not bioenergy).

Fossil fell 18%, squeezed by falling demand and rising renewables. Coal took the brunt falling 32%!

https://ember-climate.org/project/renewables-beat-fossil-fuels/

3/9 Coal fell most in Germany, cos of more wind, falling elec exports, less demand.

Coal fell in Poland, Czechia, Bulgaria, but more by increased cheaper imports from neighbours.

11 countries ALSO saw a fall in GAS: Spain -20%, Italy fell 16%

https://ember-climate.org/project/renewables-beat-fossil-fuels/

4/9 Coal collapsed everywhere!

Portugal -95%, Spain -58%, Netherlands -55%, Austria -54%, Greece: -48%, Ireland -47%, Romania -40%, Germany -39%, Italy -36%.....

Czech+Bulgaria are #3 and #4 biggest coal generators..
https://ember-climate.org/project/renewables-beat-fossil-fuels/

5/9 Poland is now the #1 biggest coal generator in Europe.

Germany slumped below Poland for the first time.

Poland, what have you been doing since the #ParisAgreement was signed?!

https://ember-climate.org/project/renewables-beat-fossil-fuels/

6/9 Poland’s wholesale electricity was 73% more expensive than Germany’s in the first half of the year, and second only to Greece for Europe’s most expensive electricity... #CoalIsExpensive!

https://ember-climate.org/project/renewables-beat-fossil-fuels/

7/9 It's amazing how electricity much wind turbines and solar panels now generate...

64% of Denmark’s total generation
49% in Ireland
42% in Germany... ooof...

8/9 Wind+solar generated 22% of EU's electricity. Despite its variability, they supplied no less than 10% of Europe’s electricity every day, and no more than 33%.

The hourly fluctuations were obs bigger, esp as solar delivers only during the daylight.

https://ember-climate.org/project/renewables-beat-fossil-fuels/

9/9 The lights have stayed on, but... there's more negative prices, indicating inflexibility in demand+supply.

In Ireland, 5% of 2020 so far had negative electricity prices. Netherlands, Finland, Hungary showed negative prices for the first time...

https://ember-climate.org/project/renewables-beat-fossil-fuels/