Renewable energy: setting ambitious targets for Europe
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To help the EU reach its ambitious emissions reduction targets in the fight against climate change, Parliament is working to accelerate greener alternatives such as renewable energy.
The current energy crisis, amplified by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, has underlined the need to reduce EU dependence on Russian fossil fuels and to diversify and secure the EU’s energy supply by focusing on greener alternatives, such as renewables. In addition, the EU wants to lead the green transition to counter the climate crisis.
Read more on the different EU measures to boost renewable energy
- Renewable energy means energy from renewable non-fossil sources, such as wind, solar and geothermal energy, ambient energy, tide, wave and other ocean energy, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment plant gas, and biogas
Deciding on new EU renewable energy targets for 2030
Europe’s ambitious climate efforts are set out in the Fit for 55 climate package. The EU’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 55% by 2030, and become climate neutral by 2050.
The legislative package also include the update of the EU’s renewable energy directive to raise the share of renewables in the EU’s energy mix from the current target of 32% by 2030.
In September 2023, Parliament voted in favour of a deal reached with the Council that sets a new target of 42.5% of renewable energy sources by 2030, although EU countries are urged to strive for 45% - a target also backed by the Commission under its REPowerEU plan. Presented in May 2022, it stresses the need to accelerate the clean energy transition and phase out energy imports from Russia by scaling up the share of renewables in power generation, industry, buildings and transport to 45% by 2030.
The new legislation speeds up the approval process for new or adapted renewable energy power plants, including solar panels and windmills.
Learn more about the Fit for 55 and the Green Deal
Increasing the share of renewables across sectors in the EU
Targets in the following sectors were also updated:
- Buildings - 49% of renewables use by 2030
- Industry - a new benchmark of a 1.6% annual increase in renewables use
The agreement takes into account Parliament's request that EU countries set an indicative target for innovative renewable energy technology of at least 5% of new installed renewable energy capacity by 2030, as well as establishing a framework for cooperation on cross-border energy projects.
It also follows up on Parliament's call for stricter criteria on biomass use, to reduce the risk of funding unsustainable practices and prevent soil quality and biodiversity being adversely affected.
The Council now needs to formally adopt the agreement for the new renewable energy directive to enter into force.
Renewable goals at national level
The table shows how EU countries met the 2020 renewable energy goals.
Share of energy from renewable sources (in % of gross final energy consumption)
|
2016 |
2020 target |
2020 figures (performance) |
|
|
Sweden |
53.8 |
49 |
60.1 |
|
Finland |
38.7 |
38 |
43.8 |
|
Latvia |
37.2 |
40 |
42.1 |
|
Austria |
33.5 |
34 |
36.5 |
|
Denmark |
32.2 |
30 |
31.6 |
|
Estonia |
28.8 |
25 |
30.2 |
|
Portugal |
28.5 |
31 |
34.0 |
|
Croatia |
28.3 |
20 |
31.0 |
|
Lithuania |
25.6 |
23 |
26.8 |
|
Romania |
25 |
24 |
24.5 |
|
Slovenia |
21.3 |
25 |
25.0 |
|
Bulgaria |
18.8 |
16 |
23.3 |
|
Italy |
17.4 |
17 |
20.4 |
|
Spain |
17.3 |
20 |
21.2 |
|
EU average |
17 |
20 |
22 |
|
France |
16 |
23 |
19.1 |
|
Greece |
15.2 |
18 |
21.7 |
|
Czech Republic |
14.9 |
13 |
17.3 |
|
Germany |
14.8 |
18 |
19.3 |
|
Hungary |
14.2 |
13 |
13.9 |
|
Slovakia |
12 |
14 |
17.3 |
|
Poland |
11.3 |
15 |
16.1 |
|
Ireland |
9.5 |
16 |
16.2 |
|
Cyprus |
9.3 |
13 |
16.9 |
|
Belgium |
8.7 |
13 |
13.0 |
|
Malta |
6 |
10 |
10.7 |
|
Netherlands |
6 |
14 |
14.0 |
|
Luxembourg |
5.4 |
11 |
11.7 |
Source: Eurostat
More on what the EU does to boost renewable energy
- Supporting the development of renewable hydrogen
- Ending EU funding for fossil-fuel based cross-border infrastructure
- Ensuring vulnerable household do not suffer from the energy transition
This article was first published in November 2017; it has been substantially rewritten to reflect the latest developments on renewables in the EU.
