Solar power provided a quarter of the European Union’s electricity for the first time in June 2026, according to new analysis from think tank Ember.
Solar generated a record 52TWh of electricity during the month, accounting for 25% of EU power generation. This surpassed the previous record of 47TWh and a 23% share set in May 2026.
The technology became the bloc’s largest single source of electricity, ahead of nuclear at 21%, gas at 15%, wind at 14% and hydro at 12%. Coal contributed just 8% of generation.
June marked only the third month in which solar has been the EU’s largest source of power, following June 2025 and May 2026.
Chris Rosslowe, senior analyst at Ember, said: “Solar’s rise has been truly stratospheric, beating prediction after prediction.
“In just a few years solar has gone from a small player to an essential part of Europe’s power system, as governments and citizens look for low-cost, quick-to-install domestic power sources.”
The record output coincided with higher summer electricity demand, partly driven by cooling needs during heatwaves across Europe. Solar generation helped support power supplies during hot and still weather conditions that challenged other generation sources.
The milestone follows five years of rapid expansion. In June 2021, solar supplied just 10% of EU electricity, generating 21TWh.
Solar generation has increased by more than 20% annually across the EU between 2021 and 2025, making it the fastest-growing power source in the bloc. The growth has been driven by continued deployment, with 65.1GW of new solar capacity installed during 2025.
Several countries also set new solar records this year. Spain generated 34% of its electricity from solar in June, while Germany reached a 36% share during the month.
Poland, traditionally one of Europe’s largest coal users, generated 24% of its electricity from solar in June after adding more than 20GW of solar capacity between 2020 and 2025.
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