Solar energy generated a record 52 terawatt-hours across the European Union in June 2026, accounting for 25% of total electricity production and overtaking all other sources for the third time on record.
Solar outpaced nuclear, which supplied 21% of EU electricity, followed by natural gas at 15%, wind at 14%, hydropower at 12%, and coal at 8%. The previous monthly leads for solar came in June 2025 and May 2026. Among individual member states, solar produced 36% of electricity in Germany and 34% in Spain, while Poland derived 24% of its power from the sun.
The milestone follows a period of rapid expansion: solar capacity in the EU grew by more than 20% annually between 2021 and 2025, setting the stage for the technology's increasing share of the continent's energy mix.