Is the electricity production becoming less carbon intensive in Europe?

Policy Question

Indicator codes: ENER 038

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Key messages

(28 Oct 2014)

Fossil fuels continue to dominate the electricity mix in 2012, being responsible for almost one half (48%) of all gross electricity generation in the EU28. Nuclear energy sources came second, contributing more than one quarter of all gross electricity generation in 2012 (27%). However, the share of electricity generated from renewable sources is in rapid progression and reached almost one quarter of all gross electricity generation in the EU28 in 2012 (24%), having doubled its share since 1990 (see ENER30 for information on renewable electricity consumption).

Final electricity consumption[1] increased by 29% in the EU28 since 1990, at an average rate of around 1.2% per year (see ENER16). In the EU28, the strongest growth was observed in the services sector (3.0%/year), followed by households (1.4%/year) and industry (0.9%/year). In non-EU EEA countries, the growth in electricity consumption was larger and reached 3.6%/year, driven by the rapid growth in Turkey.

[1] Final electricity consumption covers the total consumption of electricity by all end-use sectors plus electricity imports and minus exports.