Against a tense energy backdrop, in 2022 the European Union almost doubled its investment in imports linked to green energy production. This approach, detailed by Eurostat in a publication dated 9 November, is in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the need to reduce energy dependency, exacerbated by the Ukrainian crisis.
According to Commission figures, the EU spent a record €28.4 billion on imports of products such as solar panels, liquid biofuels and wind turbines, compared with €13.3 billion in 2021. Solar panels were particularly in demand, with imports totalling €22.6 billion, up 145% on the previous year. Imports of liquid biofuels also rose significantly, as did imports of wind turbines.
Since 2012, imports of these products have grown exponentially, particularly wind turbines (+504%). By contrast, EU exports of these products to non-EU countries suffered a setback in 2022, falling by 27% to €3.7 billion. Exports of wind turbines saw the most significant decline, contrasting with a modest rise in exports of solar panels and a significant increase in liquid biofuels.
The publication: https://aeur.eu/f/9j5 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)