25% of EU Power Came from Solar for the First Time in June

Solar power hit a new high across the European Union in June, generating 25% of the bloc's electricity for the first time. That's 52 terawatt-hours, beating the previous record of 47 terawatt-hours (23%) set just the month before, in May. Solar was the EU's single largest power source for the month, ahead of nuclear (21%), gas (15%), wind (14%), and hydro (12%), with coal down at 8%. It's only the third month on record that solar has topped the list, following June 2025 and May 2026. The surge came during a summer of heavy demand for cooling amid record heat, with solar helping keep the grid supplied when other power sources lagged.

The growth reflects a fast build-out of solar installations across Europe, with panels going from just 10% of EU power in June 2021 to a quarter of it five years later. Individual countries are setting their own records too. Spain topped a third of its power from solar in June (34%), Germany reached 36%, and Poland, despite being one of the EU's biggest coal users, hit nearly a quarter (24%) after adding more than 20 gigawatts of solar capacity since 2020.

For homeowners, this is mostly a sign of how fast solar has become mainstream in Europe's power mix rather than something with a direct effect on U.S. household costs or programs, but it points to continuing momentum behind rooftop and grid-scale solar as an energy source.