Brussels, 25/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - According to figures published by Eurostat, in 2010, energy from renewable sources was estimated to have contributed 12.4% of gross final energy consumption in the EU27, compared with 11.7% in 2009 and 10.5% in 2008.
The highest proportions of renewable energy in total consumption in 2010 were found in Sweden (47.9% of total consumption), Latvia (32.6%), Finland (32.2%), Austria (30.1%) and Portugal (24.6%), and the lowest in Malta (0.4%), Luxembourg (2.8%), the United Kingdom (3.2%) and the Netherlands (3.8%).
Between 2006 and 2010, all member states increased the proportion of renewable energy in total consumption. The largest increases were recorded in Estonia (from 16.1% in 2006 to 24.3% in 2010), Romania (from 17.1% to 23.4%), Denmark (from 16.5% to 22.2%), Sweden (from 42.7% to 47.9%) and Spain (from 9.0% to 13.8%).
The renewables directive, adopted in 2009, sets each member state a number of objectives whilst taking into account the different starting points of the countries and the potential of each, so that, in the EU, renewable energies can account for 20% of total energy consumption by 2020. (EH/transl.fl)