next
previous
items
European Union flag
Home
Topics
Analysis and data
Countries
Newsroom
About us

Policy Document

COM(2012) 271 final

Policy Document
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: “Renewable Energy : a major player in the European energy market”

Related content

Related indicators

Indicator Specification
Archived
Share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption in Europe Gross final renewable energy consumption is the amount of renewable energy consumed for electricity, heating and cooling, and transport in the EU Member States using actual and normalised hydropower and wind power generation  [1] , and expressed as the share of gross final energy consumption. The indicator was developed to measure the EU's progress towards achieving the 2020 and 2030 objectives on renewable energy. RED ( Directive 2009/28/EC)  commits the EU to reaching a 20 % share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption  [2]  by 2020, and a 10 % share of RES-T by the same year.   It sets binding national targets for renewable energy consumption by 2020 and prescribes minimum indicative trajectories  for each country in the run-up to 2020 to ensure that national 2020 targets will be met. In addition, the directive requires Member States to adopt and publish NREAPs that outline the expected trajectories for their national shares of RES for the years from 2010 to 2020. Countries submitted their NREAPs in 2010. They have an obligation to report biennially on national progress towards indicative RED and expected NREAP targets. Europe 2020: the EU’s 10-year growth strategy reaffirms the importance of the renewable energy sector for Europe. The target of a 20 % share of renewable energy in gross final consumption is one of the three headline targets for climate and sustainable energy under this strategy. The other EU-wide targets are the achievement of a 20 % reduction in the EU's greenhouse gas emissions compared with 1990 and a 20 % decrease in the EU's primary energy consumption compared with projections, both by 2020. Together, these represent the EU's triple 20/20/20 objectives for climate and energy in the run-up to 2020. They are implemented through the EU's 2009 climate and energy package and the 2012 Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). For 2030, the EU and its Member States have endorsed the following three EU-wide targets: achieving a binding minimum 40 % domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared with 1990; achieving a binding minimum 32 % share of renewable energy consumption; achieving an indicative minimum 32.5 % improvement in energy efficiency.  [1] In accordance with accounting rules under Directive 2009/28/EC, electricity generation from hydropower and wind power needs to be normalised to smooth the effects of annual variations (based on the 15-year average for hydropower and the 5-year average for wind power). [2] Gross final energy consumption refers to the energy commodities delivered for energy purposes to industry, transport, households, services including public services, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, including the consumption of electricity and heat by the energy branch for electricity and heat production, and including losses of electricity and heat in distribution and transmission (cf. Article 2f of Directive 2009/28/EC). With this, it excludes transformation losses, which are included in gross inland energy consumption. In calculating a Member State's gross final energy consumption for the purpose of measuring its compliance with the targets and interim RED and NREAP trajectories, the amount of energy consumed in aviation will, as a proportion of that Member State's gross final consumption of energy, be considered to be no more than 6.18 % (4.12 % for Cyprus and Malta).
Indicator Specification
Archived
Overview of the European energy system Energy efficiency of conventional thermal electricity production Output from conventional thermal power stations consists of gross electricity generation and any heat sold to third parties (combined heat and power plants) by both conventional thermal public utility power stations and autoproducer thermal power stations. The energy efficiency of conventional thermal electricity production (which includes both public plants and autoproducers) is defined as the ratio of electricity and heat production to the energy input as fuel. Fuels include solid fuels (i.e. coal, lignite and equivalents, oil and other liquid hydrocarbons, gas, thermal renewables, industrial and municipal waste, wood waste, biogas and geothermal energy) and other non-renewable waste. Energy losses in transformation and distribution Numerator: The amount of energy loss is the sum of the the energy industry's own consumption, with distribution and transformation losses (the difference between transformation input and output).  Denominator: Numerator plus final energy available for final consumption in primary energy. EU-28 share of primary energy by fuel type and share of final energy consumption by sector Total energy consumption or gross inland energy consumption represents the quantity of energy necessary to satisfy the inland consumption of a country. It is calculated as the sum of the gross inland consumption of energy from solid fuels, oil, gas, nuclear and renewable sources, and a small component of ‘other’ sources (industrial waste and net imports of electricity). The relative contribution of a specific fuel is measured by the ratio between the energy consumption originating from that specific fuel and the total gross inland energy consumption calculated for a calendar year.
Indicator Specification
Archived
Overview of the European energy system Gross inland consumption is calculated as follows: primary production + recovered products + total imports + variations of stocks - total exports - bunkers. It corresponds to the addition of final consumption, distribution losses, transformation losses and statistical differences.
Indicator Specification
Archived
Share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption Gross Final Renewable Energy Consumption is the amount of renewable energy consumed for electricity, heating and cooling, and transport in the Member States with actual and normalised hydro and wind power generation [1]  and expressed as a share against gross final energy consumption. The indicator is developed for measuring the contribution to the 2020 and 2030 objectives on renewable energy for the EU.   The Renewable Energy Directive (RED) [2]  commits the Union to reaching a 20% share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption [3]  by 2020 and a 10% share of renewable energy consumed in transport by the same year.   It sets binding national targets for renewable energy consumption by 2020 and it prescribes for each country minimum indicative trajectories in the run-up to 2020 to ensure that national 2020 targets will be met. In addition, the Directive requires Member States to adopt and publish National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs) that outline the expected trajectories for the national share of RES for the years starting with 2010 and until 2020. Countries have submitted their NREAPs in 2010. They have the obligation to report biennially on national progress towards indicative RED and expected NREAP targets.   Europe 2020– the European Union’s ten-year growth strategy reaffirms the importance of the renewable energy sector for Europe. The 20 % renewable energy share in gross final consumption is one of the three headline targets for climate and sustainable energy under the strategy. The other EU-wide targets are achieving a 20 % reduction of the EU’s GHG emissions compared to 1990 and achieving a 20 % saving of the EU’s primary energy consumption compared to projections, both by 2020. Together, these represent the Union’s triple 20/20/20 objectives for climate and energy in the run-up to 2020. They are implemented through the EU’s 2009 climate and energy package and the 2012 Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).   For 2030, EU leaders endorsed the following three EU-wide targets: (i)            achieving a binding minimum 40 % domestic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990; (ii)           achieving a binding minimum 27 % share of renewable energy consumption; and (iii)          achieving an indicative minimum 27 % improvement in energy efficiency.  [1] In accordance with accounting rules under Directive 2009/28/EC, electricity from hydro and wind needs to be normalised to smooth the effects of annual variations (hydro 15 years and wind 5 years). [2] Directive 2009/28/EC [3] Gross final energy consumption means the energy commodities delivered for energy purposes to industry, transport, households, services including public services, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, including the consumption of electricity and heat by the energy branch for electricity and heat production and including losses of electricity and heat in distribution and transmission (cf. Art. 2f of Directive 2009/28/EC). With this, it excludes transformation losses which are included in gross inland energy consumption. In calculating a Member State's gross final energy consumption for the purpose of measuring its compliance with the targets and interim RED and NREAP trajectories, the amount of energy consumed in aviation shall, as a proportion of that Member State's gross final consumption of energy, be considered to be no more than 6.18% (4.12% for Cyprus and Malta).
Indicator Specification
Archived
Overview of the European energy system Energy flows in European Union The Sankey diagram (Fig.1) shows the energy conversion from primary energy (coal, oil, natural gas, etc) to secondary energy commodities such as heat, electricity and manufactured fuels, through transformation plants (power stations, district heating, CHPs, oil refineries and other transformation plants) and the associated conversion losses. The right hand side of the diagram shows the final mix of energy consumption by different EU27 energy users (including: industry, transport, domestic, other final consumers and non-energy use). Note that renewables in transport for ENER 36 include all biofuels whether sustainable or not. Only a proportion of the primary energy entering the energy system of a country flows through to the end user for consumption.  There are various diversions and losses incurred before energy reaches the final consumer due to distribution losses and use in the energy sector. The Sankey diagram is useful in capturing the situation in a certain year but other indicators are needed to show the change in energy use over time. Energy efficiency of conventional thermal electricity and heat production Output from conventional thermal stations consists of gross electricity generation and also of any heat sold to third parties (combined heat and power plants) by conventional thermal public utility power stations as well as autoproducer thermal power stations. The energy efficiency of conventional thermal electricity production (which includes both public plants and autoproducers) is defined as the ratio of electricity and heat production to the energy input as a fuel. Fuels include solid fuels (i.e. coal, lignite and equivalents, oil and other liquid hydrocarbons, gas, thermal renewables (industrial and municipal waste, wood waste, biogas and geothermal energy) and other non-renewable waste. Units: Fuel input and electrical and heat output are measured in thousand tonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe). Efficiency is measured as the ratio of fuel output to input (%) Energy losses in transformation and distribution Numerator: Share of energy losses is the sum of own consumption of the energy industry, distribution losses and transformation losses (difference between transformation input and output). Denominator: Numerator plus final energy available for final consumption in primary energy. EU-27 Share of primary energy by fuel type and, share of final energy consumption by sector Total energy consumption or gross inland energy consumption represents the quantity of energy necessary to satisfy the inland consumption of a country. It is calculated as the sum of the gross inland consumption of energy from solid fuels, oil, gas, nuclear and renewable sources, and a small component of ‘other’ sources (industrial waste and net imports of electricity). The relative contribution of a specific fuel is measured by the ratio between the energy consumption originating from that specific fuel and the total gross inland energy consumption calculated for a calendar year (Fig.2). Units: Energy consumption is measured in thousand tonnes of oil equivalent (ktoe). The share of each fuel in total energy consumption is presented in the form of a percentage. EU27 net energy imports of solid fuels, oil, and gas from outside the EU27 was calculated as follows: total imports by fuel minus the sum of imports by fuel from other EU Member States minus total exports (Fig.1)
Indicator Specification
Archived
Share of renewable energy in final energy consumption Final Renewable Energy Consumption is the amount of renewable energy consumed in the member states with actual and normalised hydro and wind power generation and the share in the total final energy consumption. The final renewable energy consumption is composed of renewable energy for heat, renewable energy for electricity and the use of biofuels in transport The indicator is developed for measuring the contribution to the 2020 objectives on renewable energy for the EU-27. The Directive 2009/28/EC establishes an overall EU binding target of a 20 % share of renewable energy sources in energy consumption, as well as binding national targets by 2020 in line with the overall target. The overall share of renewable energy in the final energy consumption [1] includes consumption of electricity and heat from renewable energy sources as well as biofuels consumption. [1] Final Renewable Energy Consumption is the amount of renewable energy consumed in the member states with actual and normalised 15-year hydro power generation and 4-year wind and the share in the total final energy consumption. Due to this constraints, normalized data are only available from 2004 to 2009.
Indicator Specification
Archived
Renewable electricity This indicator traces the  share of renewable electricity, expressed as  the ratio (%) between the electricity produced from renewable energy sources and gross national electricity consumption. It measures the contribution of electricity produced from renewable energy sources to the national gross electricity consumption. Renewable energy sources are defined as renewable non-fossil energy sources: wind, solar, geothermal, wave, tidal, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas and biogases. Electricity produced from renewable energy sources comprises the electricity generation from hydro plants (excluding that produced as a result of pumping storage systems), wind, solar, geothermal and electricity from biomass/wastes. Electricity from biomass/wastes comprises electricity generated from wood/wood wastes and the burning other of solid wastes of a renewable nature (straw, black liquor), municipal solid waste incineration, biogas (incl. landfill, sewage, farm gas) and liquid biofuels. Gross national electricity consumption comprises total gross national electricity generation from all fuels (including autoproduction), plus electricity imports, minus exports.

Permalinks

For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/policy-documents/com-2012-271-final or scan the QR code.

PDF generated on 12 Jul 2025, 11:39 AM

EEA Page URL QR
Document Actions
The EEA is an agency of the European Union

Engineered by: EEA Web Team

Software updated on 26 September 2023 08:13 from version 23.8.18

Software version: EEA Plone KGS 23.9.14

Code for developers

Systems Status

Legal notice

Creative commons license

CMS login