Solar energy helped meet electricity demand during 2026 peak summer in Europe as heatwave powered the grid.
Solar output in European countries, according to a new analysis from Ember, spiked up to 17 percent on hot days in June and July. During the June and July heatwaves, daily electricity demand rose by up to 28 percent in Italy, 23 percent in Hungary, 14 percent in France and 13 percent in Spain compared with pre-heatwave days.
The report stated that solar was the only major power source to perform better than usual. Compared with other days in June and July, average daily solar generation during the heatwaves was 17 percent higher in France and Hungary, five percent higher in Spain and the same in Italy.
Chris Rosslowe, senior energy analyst at Ember, said the surge in solar output helped stabilise grids at a time when other power sources were struggling to deliver.
On the other hand, extreme heat and drought squeezed nuclear, gas and coal supply across Europe. According to Ember, nuclear output was cut short in France, Hungary, Romania, and Switzerland. Drought-related cooling constraints prompted coal plants in Poland and Serbia to reduce output, and low water levels on the Po River threatened Italy’s gas generation.
Rosslowe pointed out that solar is already doing heavy lifting during heatwaves. “But the real challenge starts after sundown. In the evening, when cooling demand is still high, the grid is most exposed to expensive gas-fired power.
“While solar saves the day, battery storage can save the evening. Together, they are one of the clearest ways to make Europe’s power system more resilient in hotter summers. As solar output rises during heatwaves and other power sources struggle, storage can carry that cheap electricity into the evening.”
Power prices also spiked in the early evening, across markets, reaching some of their highest levels in years.
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