Almost 90% of new power in Europe from renewable sources in 2016

Source: The Guardian

Almost 90% of new power in Europe from renewable sources in 2016

Wind energy overtakes coal as the EU’s second largest form of
power capacity but concerns remain over politicians’ enthusiasm
for renewables

Adam Vaughan
Thursday 9 February 2017 05.00 GMT

Renewable energy sources made up nearly nine-tenths of new power added to Europe’s electricity grids last year, in a sign of the continent’s rapid shift away from fossil fuels.

But industry leaders said they were worried about the lack of political support beyond 2020, when binding EU renewable energy targets end.

Of the 24.5GW of new capacity built across the EU in 2016, 21.1GW – or 86% – was from wind, solar, biomass and hydro, eclipsing the previous high-water mark of 79% in 2014.

For the first time windfarms accounted for more than half of the capacity installed, the data from trade body WindEurope showed. Wind power overtook coal to become the EU’s second largest form of power capacity after gas, though due to the technology’s intermittent nature, coal still meets more of the bloc’s electricity demand.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/feb/09/new-energy-europe-renewable-sources-2016