EU power emissions decline sharply

• 9 months ago (2024-02-08)
• David Flin

Coal 298 Emissions 65 Europe 1089 Gas 394 Nuclear 660 Wind 257

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Power sector emissions in the EU fell by a record 19 per cent in 2023 as a result of sharp falls in both coal- and gas-fired generation, according to a report from the climate think tank Ember .

The previous sharpest drop was 13 per cent, which occurred during the Covid pandemic year of 2020. Europe’s power sector emissions are currently 46 per cent below the 2007 peak.

Dave Jones, Insights Director for Ember, said: “You’re still going to be seeing falls next year and the year after, but they’re not going to be on the scale that we saw last year. The big change is knowing that you’re now going to get a bigger increase in demand every year from electrification as you see more heat pumps, more electric cars, and the beginning of electrolysis also being built within Europe. We’re now entering an era of rising electricity demand and we’re not really used to that in Europe.”

Nuclear energy was the EU’s biggest source of power with 619 TWh, representing 23 per cent of the mix. Wind generation overtook gas-fired generation (18 per cent compared to 17 per cent for gas) to become the second biggest single source. Coal accounted for 12 per cent and solar 9 per cent.