EU saves 11 billion euros in gas imports
Renewable energy sources allowed the EU to avoid imports of fossil gas to 99 billion euros from the beginning of the war in Ukraine, which is 11 billion euros more than in the past due to the record growth of wind and solar energy.
This is evidenced by a study conducted by the analytical centers E3G and Ember, writes Euractiv.
According to the data, since March 2022, solar and wind energy have produced a quarter of electricity in the EU, avoiding the import of 70 billion cubic meters of gas.
In turn, it has also helped mitigate drought-induced reductions in hydropower production and a decline in nuclear power production caused by maintenance and a series of failures in France's nuclear sector.
"Wind and solar power are already helping European citizens. But the future potential is even greater," said Chris Rosslow, senior analyst at Ember.
The study shows that since March, 19 EU member states have achieved record wind and solar power production.
Among them, Poland is the country with the highest percentage of annual growth (+48.5% compared to 2021), while Spain recorded the most absolute growth in a generation.
Author - Olena Madiak, 19/10/2022
