Renewable energy in Europe 2017 — Recent growth and knock-on effects

Publication Created 14 Dec 2017 Published 18 Dec 2017
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Renewable energy
This report provides an overview of progress in renewable energy in Europe, based on official statistics until 2015 and preliminary estimates for 2016.
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Publication Created 14 Dec 2017 Published 18 Dec 2017
1 min read
EEA Report No 23/2017
This report provides an overview of progress in renewable energy in Europe, based on official statistics until 2015 and preliminary estimates for 2016.

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    Estimated effects of increased RES consumption since 2005 on fossil fuels and GHG emissions Estimated effects of increased RES consumption since 2005 on fossil fuels and GHG emissions Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion and use of energy from renewable sources commits the EU to achieving a 20 % share of renewable energy sources (RES) in its gross final energy consumption by 2020 and a 10 % share of renewable energy in transport energy consumption by the same year. Article 22 of the directive requires Member States to report on national progress in the promotion and use of energy from renewable sources, biennially, starting with 31 December 2011. It specifies that the national reports shall contain, inter alia, the estimated net GHG emission savings due to the use of energy from renewable sources. Information regarding the specific methodologies used by the countries for producing the above estimates of net GHG emission savings is not always available. To that end, the EEA and its European Topic Centre for Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation (ETC/ACM) produce each year a consistent set of estimated co-benefits, at the Member State and EU level, concerning the impact on fossil fuels and GHG emissions due to the increase in RES consumption since 2005. For 2016, these estimated co-benefits are based on the EEA 2016 RES share proxies and the EEA 2016 proxies on primary and final energy consumption.
    Approximated estimates for the primary and final consumption of energy in 2016 (EEA 2016 proxies on primary and final energy consumption) Approximated estimates for the primary and final consumption of energy in 2016 (EEA 2016 proxies on primary and final energy consumption) The Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU (EED) establishes a common framework for the promotion of energy efficiency within the Union in order to ensure the achievement of the Union’s 2020 20 % headline target on energy efficiency and to pave the way for further energy efficiency improvements beyond that date. It also calls on Member States to set their own indicative national energy efficiency targets, which can be based on primary or final energy consumption, primary or final energy savings, or energy intensity. Since early access to the most recent information on energy consumption is relevant for all stakeholders, the EEA and its European Topic Centre for Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation (ETC/ACM) produce each year a set of early estimates concerning the consumption of primary and final energy in the previous year, across the EU as a whole and in each Member State. The current data set concerns the EEA 2016 proxies on primary and final energy consumption.
    Approximated estimates for the share of gross final consumption of renewable energy sources in 2016 (EEA 2016 RES share proxies) Approximated estimates for the share of gross final consumption of renewable energy sources in 2016 (EEA 2016 RES share proxies) Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion and use of energy from renewable sources commits the EU to achieving a 20 % share of renewable energy sources (RES) in its gross final energy consumption by 2020 and a 10 % share of renewable energy in transport energy consumption by the same year. Since early access to the most recent information on the growth of RES is relevant for all stakeholders, the EEA and its European Topic Centre for Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation (ETC/ACM) produce each year a set of early estimates concerning the RES shares achieved by the countries and the EU as a whole in the previous year. The current data set concerns the EEA 2016 RES share proxies. The cut-off date for most data sources incorporated in the calculation of the approximated 2016 RES shares was 31 July 2017.

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    Environmental change: knowledge is key to mitigating impacts on people and nature Environmental change: knowledge is key to mitigating impacts on people and nature Environmental policy making is not an easy task. On the one hand, Europeans want to enjoy the benefits a well-functioning economy provides. On the other, there are significant environmental and health costs attached to our lifestyle choices. A systemic understanding of how nature, economy and human health are connected is essential for identifying the best policy options available. The European Environment Agency aims to support policy making by providing exactly this kind of knowledge.
    Renewables accounted for vast majority of new EU power capacity in 2016 Renewables accounted for vast majority of new EU power capacity in 2016 Transition to renewable energy continues in the European Union (EU) but has lost some pace in the past two years. According to new European Environment Agency (EEA) estimates, renewables accounted for 86 % of the EU’s new capacity for electricity generation installed in 2016. Overall, EU Member States also continue to cut more capacity from conventional sources than they install.

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