Share of Renewable Energy in EU 28 Rises to 14% in 2012

The share of renewables in energy consumption of the European Union's 28 member states rose to 14% in 2012 - the last year for which figures have been published by Eurostat, the EU's statistical office. This was nearly twice the consumption figure of 8.3% a decade ago.

Since 2004, the share of renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy has grown in all member states, Eurostat said. The largest increases were seen in Sweden - up from 38.7% in 2004 to 51.0% in 2012, Denmark (up 14.5% to 26.0%), Austria (up 22.7% to 32.1%), Greece (up 7.2% to 15.1%) and Italy (up 5.7% to 13.5%).

In absolute terms, the highest shares were seen in Sweden (51.0%), Latvia (35.8%), Finland (34.3%) and Austria (32.1%), the lowest in Malta (1.4%), Luxembourg (3.1%), the UK (4.2%) and the Netherlands (4.5%).

In 2011, Estonia became the first member state to reach its 2020 target and by 2012 Bulgaria, Estonia and Sweden had already achieved their 2020 targets of 16%, 25% and 49% respectively.

The target up to 2020 for the EU 28 as a whole is 20% renewable energy use in gross final energy consumption. The national targets take into account the countries' different starting points, renewable energy potential and economic performance.