The power generation sector produces electricity from various energy sources and delivers it for use by residential, commercial, industrial, and public consumers.
It covers all activities, facilities, and companies involved in converting primary energy sources such as coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear, wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and biomass into electricity, as well as maintaining the infrastructure that makes this possible.
Power Generation Sectors in Europe – Opportunities & Challenges
Europe’s energy landscape is transforming due to climate targets and reduced reliance on fossil fuels, different power generation sectors are developing at varying speeds, each with its own strengths, opportunities, and challenges. From wind and solar to nuclear and storage, Europe’s evolving energy mix will be built on growing renewables, safeguarding reliable baseload power, and managing the role of transitional fuels.
Looking ahead to 2050, the EU’s target year for net-zero emissions, the evolution of Europe’s energy sectors is becoming clear. Guided by the Green Deal, the Fit-for-55 package, and national strategies, wind and solar are set to dominate the landscape, while energy storage technologies and hybrid systems will provide the flexibility needed to keep the grid stable. Nuclear and hydropower will remain crucial for reliability, and biomass will play a supporting role if managed sustainably. Natural gas may continue as a transition fuel in some regions, but coal is rapidly being phased-out.
Offshore & Onshore Wind
Europe’s coastlines along the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Atlantic offer enormous potential for offshore wind, with the EU setting ambitious targets of more than 300 GW by 2050. Onshore wind is already mature in countries such as Germany, Spain, and Denmark, and continues to play a central role. With strong winter output, wind complements solar and strengthens Europe’s path toward a balanced, reliable renewable mix.
Solar Photovoltaics
In recent years, Solar power has become more affordable, driving strong adoption across southern Europe, particularly in Spain, Italy, and Greece. The EU’s Solar Energy Strategy is aiming for 750 GW of installed capacity by 2050. Corporate power purchase agreements, CPPAs, long-term contracts under which a business agrees to buy some or all of its electricity directly from a renewable energy generator, such as a grid-connected solar or wind farm are on the increase, further fuelling growth.
Energy Storage & Hybrid Systems
Energy storage and hybrid renewable systems are critical for integrating variable renewable energy into the grid. The EU is investing heavily in large-scale battery projects, hydrogen storage and pumped hydro storage in mountainous regions with reliable water sources. Hybrid plants that combine technologies, such as wind with solar or batteries, are increasingly important for a constant supply. Yet, challenges remain, battery technology is still limited in duration, and the supply chain for critical materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, and graphite is geopolitically sensitive creating economic and security risks for countries dependent on these materials for energy storage. Hydrogen storage remains expensive and less efficient due to its low density and the high energy demand of compression.
Nuclear Power
Nuclear power remains a reliable, low-carbon source of baseload electricity in Europe with France at the forefront with 57 operating nuclear reactors providing 70% of its electricity, and a further 6 new reactors planned by 2050. Countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic are also turning to nuclear as a replacement for coal. Small modular reactors (SMRs) are gaining attention as a flexible future option but their future is uncertain; although they are a quicker, more affordable, and safer way to deploy nuclear power, there is concern over increased security risks, waste management, and economics due to wider spread of reactors.
Biomass & Waste-to-Energy
Biomass and waste-to-energy are renewable solutions that can provide power on demand and simultaneously reduce landfill waste. They can utilise local resources such as agricultural and forestry waste and support rural economies but there are questions over sustainability in the long term due to limited resources and the emission of greenhouse gases.
Natural Gas as a Transition Fuel
Natural gas is viewed as a short-term bridge in Europe’s energy transition, providing flexible backup for renewables and helping to replace coal in some Eastern European countries. However, its future role is not secure as the supply channels are not stable, costs fluctuate and methane leakage has a devastating effect on the climate with a warming power 80 times more potent than CO2.
Coal Power
As coal is the most carbon-intensive source of power its use is on the decline and is now largely confined to Eastern Europe and a few backup plants in the West. Some facilities are being converted to co-fire with biomass, softening their impact. Strong EU policies are pushing for a full phase-out by 2030–2035 in most countries.
The Role of Measurement in Power Generation
The success of these diverse energy systems depends not only on technology and investment, but also on careful monitoring of the environments in which they operate. Accurate measurement of environmental parameters; temperature, humidity, dew point, air velocity, pressure, and gas concentration ensure operational safety, efficiency, reliability, equipment longevity and regulatory compliance. They also enable predictive maintenance, helping avoid costly downtime and extending the lifespan of power generation assets.
Temperature measurement protects turbines, panels, batteries, reactors, boilers, and generators from overheating while optimising performance. Humidity and dew point monitoring prevent condensation, corrosion, and moisture-related degradation in electrical components, batteries, and sensitive instrumentation. Air velocity measurement ensures efficient cooling, ventilation, and thermal management across turbines, panels, battery enclosures, boilers, and exhaust systems. Moisture-in-oil sensors protect transformers, gearboxes, and other oil-filled equipment from insulation breakdown and corrosion. Pressure and differential pressure monitoring maintain safe operation of hydraulic systems, steam lines, coolant circuits, and flue gas flows, preventing leaks and structural stress. Finally, gas concentration measurement provides early detection of flammable, toxic, or hazardous gases, including hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane preventing fires, explosions, and equipment damage.
It is also worth mentioning that in addition to environmental measurements moisture measurement is key to turning variable, often inconsistent biomass and waste into a reliable, efficient, and environmentally compliant energy source. Without it, plants risk lower efficiency, higher costs, equipment damage, and emissions breaches.
Together, these measurements ensure that all sectors operate optimally.
What sensors and transmitters do OmniSensors provide?
Sensors for temperature, humidity, dewpoint, or a combination of the measurements: EE23, EE210/ EE212, EE310, EE33/ EE33T/TD, EE07/EE072
These sensors can be used for enclosure, cabinet and ambient air temperature monitoring, also for non-critical cooling applications. They are not suitable for generator bearings, steam, oil or high-accuracy process measurements.
Sensors for air velocity: EE671, EE75 and EE650
These sensors are suitable for the following applications: air velocity in cooling ducts, battery storage ventilation, or turbine/generator enclosures, but not If your application involves very high velocities (e.g., exhaust stacks, wind tunnel testing for turbines)
Sensors for moisture in oil: EE301, EE360, EE381, EE364, EE 300Ex
This range of probes and transmitters can be used for Transformer oil, turbine gearbox lubrication oil in wind and Biomass and Waste to Energy sectors, in solar substation transformer oil and hydraulic and turbine lubrication oil in the pumped hydro sector. It’s essential to ensure that the sensor is compatible with oil type and temperature range.
Differential pressure sensors: EE600 and EE610 from E+E Elektronik, P26, P34 and P29 from Halstrup Walcher
Suitable for: Filter pressure drop monitoring in HVAC, turbine cooling, or generator rooms. Early detection of clogging helps prevent reduced airflow or equipment overheating.
Measurement of differential pressure across fans, air ducts, and ventilation systems is important to maintaining proper cooling and ventilation in power plants.
Gas Sensors:
Many power generation applications require the monitoring of gases, these differ according to the power generating technology, for example, CO and VOC detection are required in wind nacelles/ control rooms, H2 and CO for solar PV battery room monitoring and H2 and O2 in Fuel cells.
Figaro gas sensors are available as the sensing element or as a precalibrated module for design-ins;
KE25-LF galvanic series and TGS 4260 electrochemical sensors for oxygen
TGS 5042 and 5141 electrochemical sensors for carbon monoxide and TGS 3870 mos sensor for CO, H2 and CH4
FECS series of electrochemical sensors for SO2, Cl2, NO and NO2
TGS 2616-C01 and TGS 2616-C00 mos sensors and TGS 6812/ CGM 6812 catalytic sensors for H2
TGS 2611/ NGM 2611 mos sensors for methane. Note that hydrogen, methane, or other flammable gas detectors need to be explosion-proof rated.
SmartGAS sensor modules are pre-calibrated and can be used “off-the-shelf” The following gases: CO2, CH4 and CO are typically monitored in the biomass and waste to Energy sectors and for combustion control.
Moisture sensors: Schaller Messtechnik HGT,universal moisture transmitter, BLC, BRC and BLO can be used for wood and wood processing waste and agricultural crops and residues amongst other solid waste products of calorific value.
Product range
Humidity and dew point
Temperature
Pressure
Gases
Air-velocity-and-mass-flow
