Europe and the United States use solar power to generate electricity

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4 FAQs about Europe and the United States use solar power to generate electricity

How much of Europe's electricity comes from solar?

A record 47% of the European Union's electricity now comes from solar and other renewables, a report Thursday said, in yet another sign of the growing gap between the bloc's push for clean energy and the new U.S. administration's pursuit of more fossil fuels.

Where does Europe's energy come from?

Wind turbines spin at the Klettwitz Nord solar energy park near Klettwitz, Germany. A record 47% of the European Union's electricity now comes from solar and other renewables, a report this month said, in yet another sign of the growing gap between the bloc's push for clean energy and the Trump administration's pursuit of more fossil fuels.

How many EU countries use solar power?

Notably, 10 EU countries, including Ireland which closed its last coal plant in June, used no coal power at all. At the same time, the solar sector continued to break records. At least 13 EU member states reached their highest ever share of solar electricity, including Belgium, Croatia, France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal and Slovakia.

What is the EU doing with solar energy?

The EU funds many solar cell projects, such as the PERTPV project, in which perovskite-based materials were used to build a new type of solar cell. Photovoltaic technology is becoming more widely used worldwide. Year after year, photovoltaics make up a bigger share of the EU's energy mix.

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