Slashing Bills: Nearly Half of Europe's Electricity is Now From Renewables

Denmark, Portugal, Lithuania lead the way as EU share of electricity from renewables hits 46 percent.

Nearly half way there

In the first quarter of 2026, it reached 46 percent of the total electricity generated. This is up from 43 percent in the same period in 2025, reports EuroNews. Wind led the way, covering 45 percent of the total renewable electricity, followed by hydropower at 28 percent and solar at 17 percent. The remainder came from geothermal and other energy sources. It comes as the bloc doubles down on green, homegrown power as a national security measure after the Iran war energy crisis (see Donald Trump: The Accidental Environmentalist) once again highlighted the volatility of relying on fossil fuel imports.

Denmark is the nation with Europe's highest share of electricity from renewable sources at 90 percent - mostly wind power - according to Eurostat. In second place thanks to an abundance of hydropower, Portugal boasts 83 percent, followed by Lithuania - another wind leader - with 76 percent.

As well as increasing energy security and reducing climate damaging emissions, the continued growth in green energy is saving everyone a lot of money. The EU saved €51 billion in 2025 by lowering fossil fuel imports, according to a recent report by the International Energy Agency. Drilling into the numbers further, a separate report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air found that consumers in five European nations -Denmark, Finland, France, Sweden and Slovakia - will save €8.5 billion on their energy bills this year thanks to the high clean energy share in their electricity mix.

The investments in renewables, electrification and energy efficiency are good news for both the planet and for consumers, Marin Gillot, Energy Analyst at Strategic Perspectives, tells Euronews Earth. "Clean energy is no longer just about climate, it is also an economic and geopolitical strategy," he says. "The faster Europe moves away from fossil fuels, the less exposed European citizens and businesses will be to price shocks and geopolitical instability."

The EU is expected to permanently surpass a 50 percent share of electricity from renewable sources by 2027 - 2028. By way of comparison, the U.S. is not currently projected to hit a sustained 50 percent renewable share of total electricity generation on a national average until the early 2040s to 2050, according to long-term scenarios from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.