On April 30th 2017 Germany broke a record for energy production, with 85% of energy demand in the country being met by renewables (wind, solar etc). This was a combination of favourable weather conditions which suited the wind turbines in some areas, solar collectors in others, as well as demand. BUt, as the cost of solar continues to drop, it points in a very postive direction.

Just a couple of weeks after this record was set, Indian energy markets had solar power priced more cheaply per unit (18% cheaper than lowest fossil fuel generated price) than fossil fuel generated electricity. Admittedly, India is a much more solar-friendly sun-soaked country than Germany (or any European country). Equally sunny California frequently sees unit prices for solar generated electricity drop into negative figures during dayight hours. Catching up with such targets in Europe may take some doing, but what Europe lacks in blazing sunshine it can make up for in wind and tidal power.

Germany has given itself the aim of being fossil fuel free by 2030 (including phasing out petrol/diesel vehicles). Sweden has also made a simlar pledge for 2045 and Denmark for 2050. It should be noted that Germany's fossil free future is also not driven by nuclear, thought by many to be the most relaible source of fossil free energy and an essential staging post towards a carbon neutral future. The 2011 Fukushima disaster led to a strong reaction in Germany, Chancellor Angel Merkel pledging to phase out the existing reatrs by 2022.

As for the rest of Europe, not all countries are as economically strong and capable of re-jigging infrastructure on such a scale. And even strong economies can drag their feet. The UK has committed to cutting fossil fuel emmissions by just 57% by 2032. Even then it is nowhere near on track to meeting that target. The Conservative government have also been blamed for undermining the nascent solar industry by removing investment and subsidies.