In Europe, the third quarter saw a historic surge in renewable energy production, with wind and solar energy leading the charge, as revealed in a recent report.
European Renewable Energy Achieves Record High in Q3, EnAppSys Report Reveals
Europe’s renewable energy generation soared to an all-time high in the third quarter, as indicated by a detailed analysis from energy data specialist, EnAppSys.
The study, which focused on the European electricity market trends from July 1 to September 30, showed that renewable energy output during this timeframe rose by 12% in comparison to Q3 2022. A remarkable surge in wind power, reaching 95TWh — up from 84TWh in the same period the prior year — was a key contributor.
Interestingly, the report underscored a consistent dip in wholesale prices. This was predominantly influenced by a combination of reduced gas costs, abundant wind energy, and a decrease in electricity consumption. There were instances of negative pricing, particularly earlier in the quarter.
While electricity prices maintained relative stability from July onward, there was a noticeable price hike towards the end of August. This was attributed to a spike in gas prices due to a strike announcement by Australian LNG workers.
Another point of note was the continuing downtrend in Europe’s total power consumption since Q1 2023, which was 7% lower in Q3 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.
Gas-powered generation experienced a significant drop, plummeting 27% to 103TWh, marking its most subdued performance in recent times. Nuclear power saw a modest uptick from Q3 2022, whereas coal and lignite generation took a substantial hit, dropping roughly 38% relative to the same timeframe.