Europe’s warm summer sees temperature and solar power records smashed

Solar panels on Germany’s biggest floating photovoltaic plant on a lake in Haltern (Martin Meissner/AP)

Europe smashed previous temperature records this summer, with long periods of sunshine causing sweltering conditions and droughts across much of the continent but also helping boost much-needed solar power, according to newly published data.

The European Commission said average temperatures from June to August were 0.4C (0.7F) higher on the continent this year than the previous record set in 2021. In August alone, the previous monthly record from 2018 was exceeded by 0.8C (1.4F) this year, it said.