EU share of renewable energy up amid COVID-19
Video Credit: Reuters Studio - Duration: 01:30s - Published 3 hours ago EU share of renewable energy up amid COVID-19 Finnish ship technology and power-plant maker Wartsila said the coronavirus outbreak has caused the share of renewable energy in Europe’s power production to increase rapidly. Megan Revel reports.

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EU share of renewable energy up amid COVID-19

Renewable energy has risen rapidly in Europe’s power mix to a 43% share.

That’s according to Wartsila, a Finnish ship technology and power plant maker, which tracks data on energy prices and usage across the EU.

As electricity demand has dipped, countries such as Germany, Spain, and Britain have had to shut down coal-fired power plants.

CEO Jaakko Eskola said problems related to coal power are now apparent, saying: “Coal-fired electricity production has to be run at full capacity all the time, it cannot be adjusted.” The drop in demand has driven prices down.

That, combined with greener policy measures, has begun squeezing out fossil fuel power generation.

Germany has seen the share of renewables reach 60%, up 12% from a year ago period between March 10 and April 10.

In Britain, renewables now have a 43% share of generation, up 10% on the same period in 2019.

The trend chimes with calls for economic recovery to be designed around green growth.

The Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization: (SOUNDBITE) (English) WMO'S SECRETARY-GENERAL, PETTERI TAALAS, SAYING: "My hope is also that once we invest money in the recovery from the economic crisis, that this money at least part of that money, would be invested in smart climate solutions that we could speed up the transition from fossil-based society towards climate-friendly society."

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EU share of renewable energy up amid COVID-19