In 2017, the share of energy from renewable sources in the gross final consumption of energy reached 17.5% in the EU, up from 17.0% in 2016 and more than double its 2004 level (8.5%), according to data provided by Eurostat on Tuesday 12 February.
The EU’s target is to increase the share of renewable energy to 20% by 2020 and to at least 32% by 2030. Eleven Member States have already achieved their 2020 targets.
Eurostat confirms that the share of renewable energy is highest in Sweden (54.5%) and lowest in Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Malta.
The Netherlands and France are furthest from their objectives. Of the 28 EU Member States, 11 have already reached the level required to meet their respective national 2020 targets (including Denmark, Italy, Romania and Sweden). The Netherlands (7.4 percentage points from its national 2020 objective), France (6.7 pp), Ireland (5.3 pp), the United Kingdom (4.8 pp), Luxembourg (4.6 pp), Poland (4.1 pp) and Belgium (3.9 pp) are the furthest away from their targets. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)