Europe Today
Euronews' flagship morning TV show with the news and insights that drive Europe, live from Brussels every morning at 08.00. Also available as a newsletter and podcast.
The Ring
The Ring is Euronews’ weekly political showdown, where Europe’s toughest debates meet their boldest voices. In each episode, two political heavyweights from across the EU face off to propose a diversity of opinions and spark conversations around the most important issues of EU affairs and the wider European political life.
No Comment
No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary.
My Wildest Prediction
Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries
The Big Question
Deep dive conversations with business leaders
Euronews Tech Talks
Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.
The Food Detectives
Europe's best food experts are joining forces to crack down on fraud. Euronews is following them in this special series: The Food Detectives
Water Matters
Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate – find out why Water Matters, from Euronews.
Climate Now
We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt.
Europe Today
Euronews' flagship morning TV show with the news and insights that drive Europe, live from Brussels every morning at 08.00. Also available as a newsletter and podcast.
The Ring
The Ring is Euronews’ weekly political showdown, where Europe’s toughest debates meet their boldest voices. In each episode, two political heavyweights from across the EU face off to propose a diversity of opinions and spark conversations around the most important issues of EU affairs and the wider European political life.
No Comment
No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary.
My Wildest Prediction
Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries
The Big Question
Deep dive conversations with business leaders
Euronews Tech Talks
Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.
The Food Detectives
Europe's best food experts are joining forces to crack down on fraud. Euronews is following them in this special series: The Food Detectives
Water Matters
Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate – find out why Water Matters, from Euronews.
Climate Now
We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt.
Solar has been doing the “heavy lifting” to help Europe meet its energy needs amid a string of blistering heatwaves.
A new analysis from energy think-tank Ember found that solar output in European countries rose by up to 17 per cent on heatwave days in June and July.
Researchers say that this helped power the grid as electricity demand increased by as much as a quarter on hot days. Heatwaves often trigger a spike in electricity consumption due to the sudden need for cooling, mainly from energy-intensive air conditioning (A/C) units.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that space cooling, which is mostly A/C units and fans, consumed around seven per cent of the world’s electricity in 2022. Even in countries where A/C ownership is low, countries experience energy demand spikes when scorching temperatures hit.
During the early summer heatwaves of 2025, France, for example, recorded an evening electricity peak that was 25 per cent above the off-season average due to air conditioning.
Ember’s analysis found that during the late-June heatwave this summer, daily electricity demand rose byup to 28 per cent in Italy, 23 per cent in Hungary, 14 per cent in France and 13 per cent in Spain compared with pre-heatwave days.
It says as heatwave-driven demand increased, 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 per cent higher in France and Hungary, five per cent higher in Spain and the same in Italy.
“Solar is already doing heavy lifting during heatwaves, but the real challenge starts after sundown,” says senior energy analyst Chris Rosslowe.
“In the evening, when cooling demand is still high, the grid is most exposed to expensive gas-fired power.”
Europe’s back-to-back heatwaves, which scientists say would have been “virtually impossible” if it weren’t for climate change, have triggered mass droughts across the continent.
Low water levels along the Danube River forced nuclear output to be curtailed in Hungary, while experts warn that hydropower neared an “all-time low” in the Alpine region.
Fossil-fuelled energy has suffered from the drought too, with Poland forced to reduce output at a coal-fired power plant due to critically low water levels in the Vistula River.
The late-June and early-July heatwaves also saw average daily electricity prices surge 119 per cent higher in Hungary, 44 per cent in France, 13 per cent in Italy and seven per cent in Spain than on comparable days in the preceding weeks.
Experts say the price surge reiterates the need for battery storage systems, which can prevent excess solar energy from being wasted.
“While solar saves the day, battery storage can save the evening,” Rosslowe says.
“Together, they are one of the clearest ways to make Europe’s power system more resilient in the hotter summers. As solar output rises during heatwaves and other power sources struggle, storage can carry that cheap electricity into the evening.”


Browse today's tags

source