European Renewable Energy Grows in 2010

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland) -- The focus for many countries and energy companies might have shifted towards renewable energy but the share of renewables in Europe's electricity mix during 2010 grew less than 2% on average.

According to EurObserv'ER, an industry group supported by the European Commission, the share of renewable energy in Europe's electricity consumption rose to 19.8% in 2010, up from 18.2% in 2009. In overall energy consumption, renewables rose 12.4% in 2010, a 0.9% increase over 2009's 11.5%. EurObserv'ER claimed that it is the first body to publish estimates of the renewable energy share of gross final energy consumption for the European Union (E.U.) member states for 2010.

The 2009-2010 period showed a bigger gross consumption of final energy from renewable sources at 145 Million Tonnes of Oil Equivalent (Mtoe), compared to 131.6 Mtoe in 2009. This represents an increase of over 10% and a healthy jump over the 2008-2009 increase of 2.1%.

However, if Europe is to meet its 2020 energy and emissions targets, the group pointed out that member states will have to produce an extra 100 Mtoe of final energy from renewable sources. This will mean an average addition of 10 Mtoe of final energy from renewable sources per year until 2020.

In its breakdown of renewables' growth in member states between 2009 and 2010, it is clear that some countries are doing far better than others. For instance, the percentage of renewables in the final gross energy consumption in countries such as Sweden, Latvia, Romania and the Netherlands actually fell, rather than grew. In the U.K., renewables' share grew just 0.3% during 2010 to 3.3%, while in Germany it grew 1.4% to 10.7%.

Countries that made the most dramatic renewable energy strides in 2010 included Denmark (3.8%), Finland (2.9%) and Slovenia (2%).

For the U.K. the modest growth figures come in the same week that the country's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) revealed that total investment in renewable energy projects for 2012 will top €3 billion ($3.8 billion).

DECC said that the U.K. has achieved a 27% increase in renewable energy consumption from 42.6 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2008 to 54TWh in 2010, with renewables now contributing 3.3% of total energy consumed. On the wind front, electricity generated by wind grew 46% between 2008 and 2010 from 7TWh to 10.2TWh. In 2010, the U.K. added 5,000 megawatts (MW) of onshore and offshore capacity.

"Renewable energy is not just helping us increase our energy security and reduce our emissions, it is supporting jobs and growth across the country, and giving traditional industrial heartlands the opportunity to thrive again," commented Chris Huhne, Energy Secretary. "Our renewable target is less demanding than other E.U. member states, but the effect is bringing real jobs and investment. I do not want the U.K. to be left behind by turning our back on the green economy. The agreement to negotiate a global deal secured at Durban has reinforced major nations' commitment to cutting carbon. We cannot afford to stand alone while the world wises up."

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