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Renewable energy
Targets by 2020
The Directive on renewable energy sets ambitious targets for all Member States, such that the EU will reach a 20% share of energy from renewable sources by 2020 and a 10% share of renewable energy specifically in the transport sector.
It also improves the legal framework for promoting renewable electricity, requires national action plans that establish pathways for the development of renewable energy sources including bioenergy, creates cooperation mechanisms to help achieve the targets cost effectively and establishes the sustainability criteria for biofuels.
The Directive should be implemented by Member States by December 2010.
Related documents can be found in the background documents and the first steps in implementation are indicated on the transparency platform, including the national renewable energy action plans .
The details of how Member States support renewable energy are also available on Legal sources on renewable energy website
In 1997 The European Commission proposed that the EU should aim to reach a 12% share of renewable energy by 2010. Directives were adopted in the electricity and transport sectors that set national sectoral targets.
In 2006 the EU had reached a 7% share (of gross inland consumption) and the latest progress report indicates that the EU is unlikely to reach either the electricity or transport target for 2010.
More recently, the Community has agreed targets for 2020. The 2005 share (measured in terms of gross final energy consumption) was 8.5% (9.2% in 2006), and the EU 2020 target is 20%.
National targets
National overall share and targets for the share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy in 2020
| Renewable energy %* | |||
| 2005 | 2009 (prov.) | 2020 target | |
| Austria | 23,3 | 29.2 | 34 |
| Belgium | 2,2 | 3.8 | 13 |
| Bulgaria | 9,4 | 11.5 | 16 |
| Cyprus | 2,9 | 3.8 | 13 |
| Czech Rep | 6,1 | 8.5 | 13 |
| Denmark | 17 | 19.7 | 30 |
| Estonia | 18 | 22.7 | 25 |
| Finland | 28,5 | 29.8 | 38 |
| France | 10,3 | 12.4 | 23 |
| Germany | 5,8 | 9.7 | 18 |
| Greece | 6,9 | 7.9 | 18 |
| Hungary | 4,3 | 9.5 | 13 |
| Ireland | 3,1 | 5.1 | 16 |
| Italy | 5,2 | 7.8 | 17 |
| Latvia | 32,6 | 36.8 | 40 |
| Lithuania | 15 | 16.9 | 23 |
| Luxembourg | 0,9 | 2.8 | 11 |
| Malta | 0 | 0.7 | 10 |
| Netherlands | 2,4 | 4.2 | 14 |
| Poland | 7,2 | 9.4 | 15 |
| Portugal | 20,5 | 25.7 | 31 |
| Romania | 17,8 | 21.6 | 24 |
| Slovak Rep | 6,7 | 10 | 14 |
| Slovenia | 16 | 17.5 | 25 |
| Spain | 8,7 | 13 | 20 |
| Sweden | 39,8 | 50.2 | 49 |
| UK | 1,3 | 2.9 | 15 |
| EU27 | 8,5 | 11.6 | 20 |
*As a share of gross final energy consumption Source: Eurostat (with normalised hydro) & (for 2009) EurObserv'er 2009(www.eurobserv-er.org)
