The EU reached a 22.1 % share of its gross final energy consumption from renewable sources in 2020, around 2 % above its target. In addition, this target is distributed between the EU member states with national action plans designed to plot a pathway for the development of renewable energies in each of the member states.
The share of renewables in gross final energy consumption stood at 22.1 % in the EU in 2020, compared with 9.6 % in 2004.
With more than half of energy from renewable sources in its gross final consumption of energy, Sweden (60 %) had by far the highest share
among the EU member states in 2020, ahead of Finland (44 %) and Latvia (42 %). At the opposite end of the scale, the lowest proportions of
renewables were registered in Malta (11 %), followed by Luxembourg (12 %) and Belgium (13 %).
Regarding SEE region, Bulgaria reached 23.3 % share, Greece 21.7 %, Croatia 31 %, Hungary 13.9 %, Romania 24.5 % and Slovenia 25 %.
Among non-EU member states, the share of renewable energy in final consumption stood at 43.8 % in Montenegro, 26.3 % in Serbia, 45 % in
Albania, 19.2 % in North Macedonia and 24.4 % in Kosovo.
When looking at the national targets, 26 member states met or exceeded their target levels for 2020. The member states that significantly
exceeded their 2020 targets were Sweden, Croatia (both +11 %) and Bulgaria (+7 %). On the other hand, France didn’t manage to meet its target (- 3.9 %).
Some countries used statistical transfers to meet their targets. Statistical transfers are agreements between member states to transfer a specified amount of energy from renewable sources from one member state to another member states.
The growth in electricity generated from renewable energy sources during the period 2009 to 2019 largely reflects an expansion in three
renewable energy sources across the EU, principally wind power, but also solar power and solid biofuels (including renewable wastes). In
2020, renewable energy sources made up 37.5 % of gross electricity consumption in the EU, up from 34.1 % in 2019.
Wind and hydro power accounted for more than two-thirds of the total electricity generated from renewable sources (36 and 33 %, respectively). The remaining one-third of electricity generated was from solar power (14 %), solid biofuels (8 %) and other renewable sources (8 %). Solar power is the fastest-growing source: in 2008, it accounted for 1 %. This means that the growth in electricity from solar power has been dramatic, rising from just 7.4 TWh in 2008 to 144.2 TWh in 2020.
Among the EU member states, more than 70 % of electricity consumed in 2020 was generated from renewable sources in Austria (78.2 %) and Sweden (74.5 %). The consumption of electricity from renewable sources was also high in Denmark (65.3 %), Portugal (58 %) and Latvia (53.4 %), accounting for more than half of electricity consumed. At the other end of the scale, the share of electricity from renewable sources was 15 % or less in Malta (9.5 %), Hungary (11.9 %), Cyprus (12.0 %), Luxembourg (13.9 %) and Czechia (14.8 %). The EFTA countries Norway and Iceland produced more electricity from renewable sources than they consumed in 2020, therefore leading to a share higher than 100 %.
