Clean Energy Saves the European Union 51.4 Billion Euros

JAKARTA - The European Union (EU) saved 51.4 billion euros or 60 billion US dollars in 2025 after cutting fossil fuel imports. If converted at an exchange rate of around Rp20,500 per euro, the value of the savings is equivalent to around Rp1,050 trillion. The savings occurred because Europe is increasingly using renewable energy, especially solar and wind power.

Quoted from Euronews, Monday, June 1, the International Energy Agency's (IEA) report said that reducing oil, gas, and coal imports would significantly reduce Europe's energy costs. This step also strengthens energy security during the US-Israeli and Iranian wars that shake supplies and push energy prices up.

Energy research institute Ember said Europe's energy transition is starting to bear fruit.

"Europe's energy transition is starting to bear fruit. The $60 billion in savings from fossil fuels last year will be surpassed by savings this year as oil, gas and coal prices soar," an Ember spokesperson told Euronews Earth.

According to Ember, the European electricity sector is the least affected by the energy price turmoil because it is increasingly supported by renewable energy.

In 2025, the EU imported energy products worth 336.7 billion euros with a volume of 723.3 million tons. Compared to 2024, the import value fell by 11.1 percent, while the volume fell by 0.6 percent, according to Strategic Perspectives.

In contrast, the European Union has invested 105 billion US dollars or about 90 billion euros in renewable energy.

Solar power is the most prominent sector. EU solar electricity production reached more than 340 TWh and accounted for 12.5 percent of the region's electricity mix.

Solar electricity production rose by more than 60 TWh compared to the previous year. This figure is equivalent to Portugal's entire annual electricity demand.

Marin Gillot, energy analyst at Strategic Perspectives, said clean energy is now not just a climate issue.

"Clean energy is no longer just about climate. It is also an economic and geopolitical strategy," he said.

According to Marin Gillot, the sooner Europe abandons fossil fuels, the smaller the risk of citizens and businesses being exposed to price shocks and geopolitical instability.

2026 is also an important momentum for renewable energy. Ember data shows that wind and solar power for the first time generated more electricity than gas globally in a full month, namely April 2026.

That month, wind and solar power accounted for 22 percent of global electricity. Gas was below it with 20 percent.

Still according to Euronews, the achievement occurred in the first full month of the latest global energy crisis due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Globally, electricity production from wind and solar is expected to grow 13 percent compared to the previous year. The increase occurred in China, the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Chile, and Brazil.

However, Ember made an important note. Wind and solar just surpassed gas in one month, not yet on an annual basis.

April is a month that makes this achievement possible. In the northern hemisphere, spring usually brings strong winds and solar power production increases. At the same time, electricity demand is lower because it is between the heating season and the cooling season.

For the European Union, the 2025 savings show that clean energy is beginning to have a real economic impact, especially in reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports.