From January through May 2024, Europe experienced a remarkable surge in hydro-powered electricity output, evidenced by an almost 18% increase from the same period in 2023. This increase in record hydro generation led to a total of 388 terawatt hours (TWh), the highest for this five-month window in over nine years. The significant rise was fueled by above-average rainfall across much of mainland Europe, boosting overall clean electricity generation to a record 1,260 TWh during these months, marking a 9.4% increase from the previous year.
This record hydro generation has been a key factor in reducing dependency on fossil fuels across the continent. With higher outputs from renewable sources, Europe’s power producers have successfully cut fossil fuel-generated electricity by more than 9%, reaching the lowest cumulative total for the initial five months of the year since at least 2015. This shift has also led to a corresponding reduction in power sector emissions by about 9%, hitting their lowest levels in more than nine years.
The resurgence of record hydro generation has been particularly notable in countries like France, Italy, and Germany. France, being mainland Europe’s largest hydro producer, saw its hydro generation rise by more than 50% to 3.7 million gigawatt hours (GWh) from the beginning of the year through June 23, which is 12% above the long-term average for that period. Similarly, Italy and Germany reported increases of 49% and 44%, respectively, above their long-term averages.
Moreover, the Alps catchment area, which includes Austria, France, Italy, and Switzerland, experienced a 40% increase in hydro generation compared to the previous year, 14.4% above the usual levels. These contributions have significantly bolstered Europe’s energy portfolio, where hydro power now accounts for 19.2% of the total electricity generated in the first five months of 2024, up from an average of 17% over the past five years.
Thanks to the dispatchable nature of hydro power, which allows for energy to be distributed as needed across grids, Europe has managed to further reduce generation from fossil fuels. This is complemented by a 21.4% increase in solar generation and a 7.6% rise in wind power output during the same period, collectively pushing the total electricity generation up nearly 2% from the previous year.
Although seasonal trends suggest that record hydro generation may decrease in the coming months due to reduced snowmelt and dryer conditions, the rising output from solar power is expected to continue into the peak summer period. Along with steady production from nuclear and bioenergy facilities, Europe is poised to make further gains in clean energy generation, reinforcing its commitment to advancing the region’s ongoing energy transition.