ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES OVERTAKES FOSSIL FUELS IN EU BUT INVESTMENTS STILL NEEDED

2020 was the first year in which the European Union (EU) consumed more electricity from renewable energy than fossil fuels, marking a major milestone and step forward in the bloc’s ambitious climate and energy goals. But to make the shift to cleaner electricity sources successful and long lasting, massive investment in Europe’s distribution grids is needed now, electricity industry body Eurelectrichas warned. In a new report Eurelectric argues that smarter distribution grids will allow an increased amount of variable renewable energy on the grid that would be cheaper than fossil-fuel-fired power and could save the EU more than 175 billion euro a year in fossil-fuel imports. Further, data management should be one of the core distribution-grid investments, the report said, while calling on lawmakers to reduce excessive red tape. We’d tap into our European network of journalists to assess advances and current challenges in securing renewable energy sources across the EU and what changes are needed.