In its annual State of the Energy Union Report that was published on Thursday, 6 November, the European Commission points out that new renewable energy installed capacity in 2024 is estimated at around 77 GW (12.9 GW for wind and 65.5 GW for solar). This represents an annual increase of 17% compared to 2023.
Despite this positive development, the report indicates that the EU’s target of 42.5% renewables in EU energy consumption by 2030 will require a “much faster” uptake of renewables in the coming years. An annual increase of 2.6 percentage points is notably needed, according to the report, to reach the next reference point, 29.7%, in 2025. It also emphasises the need to do more to promote energy efficiency.
In addition, the European Commission reiterates that the EU is “on track” to achieve its 2030 climate target (−55% of greenhouse gas emissions), with a 2.5% decrease in emissions in 2024 compared to 2023.
From the point of view of European competitiveness, the institution acknowledges that average energy prices in Europe are still higher than those of [the EU’s] international competitors and vary considerably from one Member State to another, “hindering the competitiveness of major industrial players and the economy overall”.
The State of the Energy Union Report was published in conjunction with the 2025 Climate Action Progress Report.
To consult these two documents: https://aeur.eu/f/jbf and https://aeur.eu/f/jbe (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)