Renewables gain ground in Europe while reducing GHG emissions
Wind, solar, biomass and other renewable energy technologies continued to grow in 2013. New data show that they have been an important driving force in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Europe.
Without the deployment of renewable energy since 2005, greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 in line with the EU’s consumption of fossil fuels would have been about 7% higher in 2012. The most substituted fuel was coal, where consumption would have been 13% higher, while natural gas use would have been 7% higher.
According to an EEA-Report (European Environment Agency) consumption of renewables increased in all EU Member States in 2013. At EU level, the share of renewables increased to almost 15% by 2013, so the EU was ahead of its 12% target set by the Renewable Energy Directive.
In Sweden, Latvia, Finland and Austria renewable energy made up more than one third of final energy consumption in 2013. At the other end of the scale, Malta, Luxembourg, Netherlands and the UK were all below 5%.
Source: European Environment Agency 17 February 2015