Renewable sources responsible for 22.9% of the EU’s final energy, twice as much as in 2004. Eurostat data

Eurostat publishes data on the development of renewable sources for heating and cooling.

Record results in 2021: 22.9% of the EU’s total gross final energy consumption came from RES. In 2004 this figure stood at 11.7%.

Renewable sources: States promoted and those rejected

The record increase in the development (and subsequent use) of renewable energy is undeniable.

However, gross fuel consumption has also increased. As a result, the share of renewable energy in gross final consumption for heating and cooling decreased by 0.1 percentage points, from 23% in 2020 to 22.9% in 2021.

But which are the best and which are the worst?

Sweden stood out with more than two thirds (68.6%) of renewable energy used for heating and cooling in 2021; Sweden achieved this mainly thanks to the use of biomass and heat pumps.

Sweden is followed by Estonia (61.3%), Latvia (57.4%) and Finland (52.6%).

Fonte: Eurostat

In any case, all EU Member States have recorded a considerable increase in renewable sources since 2004 (reference year in the Eurostat study) to 2021. Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands themselves increased the use of RES, by +2.3 pp*, respectively. + 6.3 pp and +5.5 pp.

Renewable sources: solar growth at a rapid pace

Renewable energy sources used for heating and cooling include solar thermal, geothermal, solid, liquid and gaseous biofuels and wind.

In 2021 wind and water provided most of the renewable electricity, but solar is the fastest growing energy source. In 2008 it accounted for just 1% with 7.4 TWh, while in 2021 it reached 163.8 TWh.

It is important to note that in the course of 2022 solar energy has developed even faster, to make up for the lack of hydroelectric power due to deep droughts that have affected several areas of the world, including Italy.

*percentage points