European countries’ efforts to promote green energy are beginning to pay off. Since 2004, renewable energy production from wind, solar, geothermal and biomass has increased markedly, reaching 17.5% of final energy consumption in the European Union by the end of 2017. However, the targets set by the EU for 2020 are more ambitious and may not be met. A progress report on green energy consumption in Europe.
A fairly positive assessment and greater ambitions
By the end of 2017, 17.5% of final energy consumption in the EU came from renewables (solar, wind, geothermal and biomass). This is an overall positive result that crowns the major efforts made by EU countries in this area. A strategy launched in 2004 was followed by Europe-wide commitment in 2007 to reach a target of 20% renewable energy in final energy consumption by 2020. However, one nuance must be added to this admittedly encouraging assessment: with one year to go before the EU deadline, the target will not be met everywhere in Europe. That said, some countries already far exceed the expected targets and are positioning themselves as European champions of green energy. This is the case for Finland, with 41% of final energy consumption, and Latvia, where green energy accounts for 39%. The top honour, however, goes to Sweden, which impresses with a rate of 54.5%. Conversely, other countries are at the back of the pack in terms of the share of green energy in their final energy consumption. This is notably the case for Malta and the Netherlands, with 7.2% and 6.6% respectively. Luxembourg, for its part, ranks last in Europe, with just 6.4% renewable energy in its overall consumption.
However, these figures in no way dampen the European Union’s determination, which took advantage of the Paris Agreement and the Climate Plan to raise its targets: the 2030 target under the new energy-climate package has been set at 27% renewables in the gross final energy consumption of EU countries.
France struggles to meet its targets
France’s performance is rather mixed, although it is in line with the European average, with green energy (renewables) accounting for 17% of its overall energy consumption. Yet France’s national targets were initially higher than those of the EU. Indeed, France was aiming for a 23% target for 2020. Moreover, the energy transition law adopted in 2015 is even more ambitious and seeks to raise the share of green energy in France to 32% by 2030. Today, these targets appear out of reach for the country unless efforts to produce renewable energy are significantly stepped up. This should not, however, be a problem given the innovation of French start-ups in green energy. In its mapping of current renewables, hydropower ranks first among green energy sources in France, accounting for 52% of the total renewable capacity. Wind and solar complete the podium with 28% and 15% respectively of France’s green energy mix.
