Between May and August, the European Union produced more than 99 terawatt-hours of electricity from solar panels, marking a 28% rise over the same period a year earlier. Bloomberg cited data from the independent Ember think tank to support these figures.
Researchers note that during the summer of 2022 Europe set a record for solar power generation, accounting for about 12% of the EU energy mix from May through August. In that window, solar technology generated roughly 99.4 terawatt-hours of electricity, a milestone that highlighted the growing role of solar energy in Europe’s grid. Analysts estimate that delivering the same amount of power with gas-fired plants would have cost roughly €29 billion, underscoring the price competitiveness and environmental advantages of solar expansion.
The surge in green power signals Europe’s ongoing effort to reduce reliance on expensive and polluting fuels. Experts observed that investments in solar capacity are beginning to pay off, with each additional terawatt-hour of solar power contributing to consumer savings and greater energy security. As the solar sector expands, the region is approaching new records for safe and reliable power generation each summer, reflecting a broader shift toward renewable energy in Europe’s electricity mix.
Towards the end of August, Hungary’s foreign affairs leadership announced plans to connect to green electricity supplies from Azerbaijan. The government stated that Baku would provide energy to Georgia, with the transmission continuing onward to Romania, illustrating a regional approach to cross-border renewable energy trade and greater resilience in the electricity network.