. However, only a third of it was actually used for electricity generation from wind, and solar stepped up.When it really mattered, it was the long-term policy of governments that worked rather than the reflexive buying of fossil fuel. According to the analysis of the clean energy think tank Ember, solar energy grew by 24 percent in 2022 alone, saving the continent around $10 billion in gas import bills.
Together wind and solar energies accounted for 22 percent of the electricity produced on the continent, with gas accounting for another 20 percent. Coal consumption showed a 1.5 percent increase from 2021, accounting for 16 percent of electricity produced. Energy consumption during the winter months toward the end of the year also remained low as temperatures remained mildly cold, and the cost of living crisis also kept energy demand low,2023 has begun on a brighter note for the European Union, with gas generation down 37 percent and estimates of fossil fuel generation pegged to plummet by 20 percent.