For the first month ever, solar PV has made up 25% of monthly electricity generation across the European Union in June 2026.
Solar PV generation reached a record 52TWh of EU electricity generation last month, according to analysis from think tank Ember. It has also been the largest source of power generation for the month, ahead of nuclear (21%), and is only the third time solar PV has been the largest source of power across the EU, after June 2025 and May 2026.
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According to Ember, the record solar PV output across Europe coincided with relatively high summer power demand, driven partially by demand for cooling due to the record-breaking heatwaves hitting the continent.
The new record generation and electricity generation share come as the technology has grown rapidly in the past few years. Five years ago, solar PV generated only 21TWh and accounted for 10% of total generation in June 2021.
“Solar’s rise has been truly stratospheric, beating prediction after prediction. In just a few years solar has gone from a small player to an essential part of Europe’s power system, as governments and citizens look for low-cost, quick-to-install domestic power sources,” said Chris Rosslowe, senior energy analyst at Ember.
Moreover, the new record set by solar PV in the EU is echoed across the member states, with 18 of the 27 EU countries setting new monthly records for the percentage of power from solar in 2026.
In Spain, solar PV generated over a third (34%) of power in June 2026 for the first time. The support for renewables in the country boosted its roll-out and the reduced influence of gas in electricity prices has helped the country avoid €10 (US$11.4) a month on power bills in the energy crisis following the US-Israel war with Iran.
Germany, the European country with the most installed solar PV, has set a back-to-back record for solar generation with 33% in May and 36% in June.
Finally, a quarter (24%) of electricity came from solar last month in Poland, despite being one of the largest coal users in the EU. The central eastern European country has seen one of the fastest solar PV growth across Europe this decade, with more than 20GW of new solar capacity between 2020 and 2025.
