Brussels, 11/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - Although oil remained the principal source of energy in the EU in 2009, with a share of 37% of the primary energy total (total gross consumption), major changes have taken shape since 1999, with the share of renewables almost doubling over this period, growing from 5% to 9% of gross interior energy consumption. Although the share of gas rose from 22% 24%, that of nuclear energy remained practically stable at 14%. The share of oil dropped from 39% to 37% and that of solid combustibles (coal) from 18% to 16%.
In 2009, oil represented more than half of energy supplies in Malta (100%), Cyprus (96%), Luxembourg (63%), Greece (55%), Ireland (52%) and Portugal (50%). For gas, the largest proportions were registered in the Netherlands (43%), Italy and the United Kingdom (38% each) and Hungary (36%). The highest proportions for solid fuels were observed in Estonia (58%), Poland (54%), the Czech Republic (41%) and Bulgaria (36%), those for nuclear energy were in France (40%), Lithuania (34%) and in Sweden (29%), and those for nuclear energy were highest in Latvia (36%), Sweden (34%), Austria (27%) and Finland (23%).
The share of renewables rose in all member states over the period, with the sharpest increases recorded in Denmark (from 8% to 17% of the energy mix), in Sweden (from 27% to 34%), Germany (from 2% to 8%), Portugal (from 13% to 19%), Slovakia (from 3% to 7%), Austria (from 23% to 27%), Latvia (from 32% to 36%), Spain (from 5% to 9%), Slovenia (from 9% to 13%) and in Hungary (from 3% to 7%). (E.H./transl.fl)