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Europe's clean source of power on a record roll in early 2024: Maguire

The viewpoints expressed here are those of the author, a columnist .

A record 60% of Europe's electricity was powered by clean energy sources in the opening 2 months of 2024, driven by strong year-on-year growth in hydro, solar and wind generation and a rebound in nuclear power production.

Total tidy electrical energy generation was a record 516.5 terawatt hours in January and February, up 12% from the same period in 2023, information from energy think tank Ash shows.

Fossil fuel-powered electrical energy production was 351 TWh, the most affordable for that period because a minimum of 2015 and down over 8% from the very same months in 2023.

Coal-fired output throughout January and February was down nearly 15% from the very same duration in 2015, while production from natural gas-fired plants was down 4%.

CLEAN LEADERS

Nuclear centers stayed the largest single source of tidy power in Europe, producing 172.5 terawatt hours (TWh) of electrical energy.

That total was 4.1% more than in the exact same months of 2023, Is the second most affordable for the opening 2 months of the year considering that 2015, following the closure of Germany's nuclear power plants in 2015 and long-lasting output concerns in France.

Hydro dams were the second largest source of Europe's clean power, producing 153 TWh of electricity, or a record 17.6%. share of Europe's total electrical energy generation.

Total hydro electrical power output was up nearly 23% from the. same duration in 2023, thanks to strong output in Norway, France,. Switzerland and Portugal so far this year.

Wind farms generated a record 137.5 TWh of electrical power. during the first two months of 2024, up 14% from the exact same duration. in 2023.

Solar-powered electrical energy generation likewise scaled a brand-new high. of 24.4 TWh, which was nearly 19% more than during the very same. months of 2023.

GLIDE COURSES

, if Europe's electrical energy generation from solar and wind farms. . continues to broaden at the pace seen in the last few years, combined. solar and wind output might soon surpass nuclear plants as the. main source of clean power in the continent.

Integrated solar and wind generation has actually expanded by an annual. typical rate of 11% each year since 2019, while nuclear output. has contracted by around 3% a year over the exact same period.

So far in 2024, the nearly 162 TWh of electricity created. by wind and solar farms was close to 15% more than during. January and February of 2023, and was just 7% less than total. nuclear generation this year.

If integrated solar and wind output expands, that recommends that. By the exact same degree in early 2025, and nuclear generation. expands by the same quantity as was seen this year, then total. solar plus wind electrical power output could exceed nuclear. generation as quickly as next year.

Such a development would help drive total tidy electricity. generation to new highs, might assist energies make more cuts to. fossil fuel-powered output, and speed up regional energy. shift and pollution reduction efforts. << The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a. writer .>

(source: Reuters)