Overview of the electricity production and use in Europe

Assessment versions

Published (reviewed and quality assured)

• No published assessments

Rationale

Justification for indicator selection

Electricity generation gives rise to negative impacts on the environment and human health throughout all stages of its lifetime, from resource extraction to electricity use. The fuel mix used in electricity production provides a broad indication of the type and magnitude of pressures on the environment and human health. Impacts stemming from electricity production depend upon the (fossil) fuel employed, how it was extracted and processed, the actual technology (and its efficiency) to produce electricity, as well as the use of abatement technologies. Electricity generated from renewable energy sources generally has a lower environmental impact (e.g. emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants) over its life-cycle than electricity generated from fossil fuels. A higher share of renewable electricity thus helps diminishing the environmental pressures stemming from electricity generation.

An almost full decarbonisation of the electricity sector will be needed to meet the EU’s objective of reducing GHG-emissions by 80-95% in 2050[1].

Increasing electricity generation and use throughout Europe without reforming the current energy system will lead to higher overall health and environmental impacts. Nevertheless, an increase of electricity consumption in the transport sector might signal a positive modal shift towards rail transport or higher penetration of electric vehicles.

This indicator is closely linked with ENER 30, ENER 28 and ENER 29.

Scientific references

• Annual European Community greenhouse gas inventory 1990 - 2006 and inventory report 2008 Technical report No 6/2008
• Electricity information 2004 - IEA statistics
• EEA (2012) Greenhouse gas data viewer last update June 2012

Indicator definition

Total gross electricity generation covers gross electricity generation in all types of power plants. The gross electricity generation at the plant level is defined as the electricity measured at the outlet of the main transformers. i.e. the consumption of electricity in the plant auxiliaries and in transformers is included.

Electricity production by fuel is the gross electricity generation from plants utilising the following fuels: coal and lignite, oil, nuclear, natural and derived gas, renewables (wind. hydro. biomass and waste. solar PV and geothermal) and other fuels. The latter include electricity produced from power plants not accounted for elsewhere such as those fuelled by certain types of industrial wastes which are not classed as renewable. Other fuels also include the electricity produced as a result of pumping in hydro power stations.

The share of each fuel in electricity production is taken as the ratio of electricity production from the relevant category against total gross electricity generation. It should be noted that the share of renewable electricity in this indicator, based on production, is not directly comparable with the share required under Directive 2001/77/EC which is based upon the share of renewables in electricity consumption. The difference between both shares is accounted for by the net balance between imports and exports of electricity and by how much domestic electricity generation is increased or reduced as a result.

Final electricity consumption covers electricity supplied to the final consumer's door for all energy uses, it does not include own use by electricity producers or transmission and distribution losses. It is calculated as the sum of final electricity consumption from all sectors. These are disaggregated to cover industry, transport, households, services (including agriculture and other sectors).

Units

• Electricity generation is measured in either GWh or TWh (1000 GWh)
• Final electricity consumption is measured in terawatt hours (TWh).

Policy context and targets

Context description

Environmental context

This factsheet describes the trends observed in electricity generation and use in Europe. Electricity generation has a number of negative impacts on the environment and human health arising throughout all lifecycle stages, for instance:

• impacts on climate change and air quality – through the emission of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases and air pollutants (e.g. SO₂, NO_x and PM) arising from combustion processes;
• impacts on water quality and quantity – through dam construction for hydropower, water retention for energy crops, and water use for cooling of power plants,;
• direct and indirect impacts on land resources, including natural habitats and ecosystems – through further deforestation in the tropics for the production of bioenergy and the fragmentation of habitats due to resource extraction and the construction of pipelines, grids and infrastructures needed for power generation.
• a broad range of specific social and environmental impacts – through the extraction of conventional and unconventional fossil fuels.

Most of these impacts tend to be fuel-specific. For instance, nuclear power produces less greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric pollution on a lifecycle basis compared to conventional sources, but carries a certain risk of accidental radioactive releases and management and disposal of spent fuel and radioactive waste is problematic. While electricity from natural gas gives rise to approximately 40% less carbon dioxide emissions than coal per unit, and 25 % less carbon dioxide emissions than oil, and contains only marginal quantities of sulphur (see ENER36), increasing the recourse to unconventional gas resources (such as shale gas and coal bed methane) would lead to other specific environmental pressures.

Shares of electricity generation from different fuels in total gross electricity production aim to indicate to what extent there has been a decarbonisation of the electricity generation in Europe. The pressure on the environment and human health from energy consumption can be diminished by decreasing electricity consumption through efficiency improvements and energy conservation, and switching to those sources and technologies that have a lower impact on the environment and human health.

Policy context

• Conclusions on 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework, European Council, 23 and 24 October 2014, SN 79/14.
• A policy framework for climate and energy in the period from 2020 to 2030 (COM(2014) 15 final).
  Presents an integrated policy framework with binding EU-wide targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions and the development of renewable energy sources and with objectives for energy efficiency improvements for the period up to 2030.

• A Roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy in 2050 (COM(2011) 112 final)
  Presents a roadmap for action in line with a 80-95% greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2050.

• Energy 2020 – A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy (COM(2010) 639 final)
  Presents the five priorities of the new energy strategy defined by the Commission.

• Council adopted on 6 April 2009 the climate-energy legislative package containing measures to fight climate change and promote renewable energy. This package is designed to achieve the EU's overall environmental target of a 20 % reduction in greenhouse gases and a 20 % share of renewable energy in the EU's total energy consumption by 2020.The climate action and renewable energy (CARE) package includes the following main policy documents

• Directive 2009/29/EC of the European parliament and of the Council amending directive 2003/87/ec so as to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme of the community
• Directive 2009/31/EC of the European parliament and of the Council on the geological storage of carbon dioxide
• Directive 2009/28/EC of the European parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources
• Directive 2009/125/EC (Eco-design)of the European parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the setting of eco-design requirements for energy-related products
• Directive 2010/30/ECof the European parliament and of the Council on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products
• Community guidelines on state aid for environmental protection (2008/c 82/01)
• Directive 2008/101/EC of the European parliament and of the Council amending directive 2003/87/ec so as to include aviation activities in the scheme for greenhouse gas Emission allowance trading within the community
• Regulation (EC) no 443/2009 of the European parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the community’s integrated approach to reduce CO₂ emissions from light-duty vehicles
• Second Strategic Energy Review; COM(2008) 781 final
• Strategic review on short, medium and long term targets on EU energy security.

 
References

• COM(2011) 112 final: A Roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy in 2050
• COM(2010) 639 final: Energy 2020 – A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy
• COM(2008) 781 final: Second Strategic Energy Review
• Directive 2009/28/EC  - Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC, Brussels, 2009
• EEA (2008) Annual European Community greenhouse gas inventory 1990 – 2006 and inventory report 2008
• EU (2009) Climate action and renewable energy package (CARE Package); http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/climate_action.htm
• IEA (2005): Electricity information 2004 – IEA statistics.
• UN (1998): Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; adopted at COP3 in Kyoto. Japan. on 11 December 1997
• Treaty of Accession to the European Union. Annex II. Part 12. page 588. which amends Directive 2001/77/EC in order to set targets for new Member States on the contribution of renewable energy to electricity generation.
• COD/2008/0013 - Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system of the Community
• COD/2008/0014 - Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the effort of Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020
• COM(2008) 16 final - Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system of the Community
• COM(2008) 778 final/2 - Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products
• COM(2008) 781 final - Second Strategic Energy Review
• SEC(2007) 53 - Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the EU greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system - Summary of the Impact Assessment
• EEA (2012) Greenhouse gas data viewer, last update June 2012 [http://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/data/data-viewers/greenhouse-gases-viewer]
• EU (2009) Climate action and renewable energy package (CARE Package)
• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/climate_action.htm

Targets

No targets have been specified

Related policy documents

• 2008/c 82/01
  Community guidelines on state aid for environmental protection (2008/c 82/01)
• 2009/31/EC
  Directive 2009/31/ec of the European parliament and of the Council on the geological storage of carbon dioxide.
• 2009/125/EC - Ecodesign Directive
  The Ecodesign Directive is a framework Directive: it does not set binding requirements on products by itself, but through  implementing measures  adopted on a case by case basis for each product group. All guiding principles for developing implementing measures are set in the  framework Directive 2009/125/EC . The list of product groups to be addressed through implementing measures is established in the periodic  Working Plan .  Standardisation  supports the implementation of the Ecodesign Directive (notably through harmonised standards giving presumption of conformity with all or some Ecodesign legal requirements).
• Climate action and renewable energy package (CARE Package)
  Combating climate change is a top priority for the EU. Europe is working hard to cut its greenhouse gas emissions substantially while encouraging other nations and regions to do likewise.
• COM(2008) 16 final
  Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the greenhouse gasemission allowance trading system of the Community
• COM(2008) 16 final - COD 2008/0013
  Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system of the Community.
• COM(2008) 17 final - COD 2008/0014
  Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the effort of Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020.
• COM(2008) 778
  Eco-Design Directive; COM(2008) 778
• COM(2008) 781
  COM(2008) 781 final - Second Strategic Energy Review
• COM(2010) 639 final: Energy 2020 – A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy
  A strategy for competitive, sustainable and secure energy
• COM(2011) 112 - A Roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy in 2050
  With its "Roadmap for moving to a competitive low-carbon economy in 2050" the European Commission is looking beyond these 2020 objectives and setting out a plan to meet the long-term target of reducing domestic emissions by 80 to 95% by mid-century as agreed by European Heads of State and governments. It shows how the sectors responsible for Europe's emissions - power generation, industry, transport, buildings and construction, as well as agriculture - can make the transition to a low-carbon economy over the coming decades.
• DIRECTIVE 2001/77/EC Renewable electricity
  Directive 2001/77/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 September 2001 on the promotion of electricity produced from renewable energy sources in the internal electricity market
• DIRECTIVE 2008/101/EC
  DIRECTIVE 2008/101/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 19 November 2008 amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to include aviation activities in the scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community
• DIRECTIVE 2009/28/EC
  DIRECTIVE 2009/28/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC
• Directive 2009/29/EC
  Directive 2009/29/EC of the European parliament and of the Council amending directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme of the community.
• Directive 2010/30/EU Directive 2010/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products
  Energy labeling directive
• Kyoto Protocol to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
  Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; adopted at COP3 in Kyoto, Japan, on 11 December 1997
• REGULATION (EC) No 443/2009 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL 443/2009
  Regulation (ec) no 443/2009 of the European parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the community's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles.
• SEC(2007) 53
  Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/87/EC so as to improve and extend the EU greenhouse gas emission allowance trading system - Summary of the Impact Assessment.
• Treaty of Accession to the European Union. Annex II. Part 12. page 588
  Amends Directive 2001/77/EC in order to set targets for new Member States on the contribution of renewable energy to electricity generation.

Methodology

Methodology for indicator calculation

Methodology for gap filling

No gap filling procedure has been applied.

Methodology references

No methodology references available.

Data specifications

EEA data references

• No datasets have been specified here.

External data references

• Energy statistics (Eurostat)

Data sources in latest figures

Uncertainties

Methodology uncertainty

No uncertainty has been specified

Data sets uncertainty

Data has been traditionally compiled by Eurostat through the annual Joint Questionnaires, shared by Eurostat and the International Energy Agency, following a well established and harmonised methodology. Methodological information on the annual Joint Questionnaires and data compilation can be found in Eurostat's web page for metadata on energy statistics. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_SDDS/en/nrg_quant_esms.htm

Rationale uncertainty

Biomass and wastes, as defined by Eurostat, cover organic, non-fossil material of biological origin, which may be used for heat production or electricity generation. They comprise wood and wood waste, Biogas, municipal solid waste (MSW) and biofuels. MSW comprises biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes produced by different sectors. Non-biodegradable municipal and solid wastes are not considered to be renewable, but current data availability does not allow the non-biodegradable content of wastes to be identified separately, except for that from industry.

Also, electricity data (unlike that for overall energy consumption) for 1990 refers to the western part of Germany only.

Electricity consumption within the national territory includes imports of electricity from neighbouring countries. It also excludes the electricity produced nationally but exported abroad. In some countries the contribution of electricity trade to total electricity consumption and the changes observed from year to year need to be looked at carefully when analysing trends in electricity production by fuel. Impacts on the (national) environment are also affected since emissions are accounted where the electricity is produced whereas consumption is accounted where the electricity is consumed.