1.1. Contact organisation
European Commission - Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union
1.2. Contact organisation unit
Unit E5: Energy
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
European Commission - Eurostat
Unit ESTAT.E.5: Energy
L-2920 Luxembourg
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
20 April 20232.2. Metadata last posted
20 April 20232.3. Metadata last update
20 April 20234.1. Data description
This dataset covers the indicator for monitoring progress towards renewable energy targets of the Europe 2020 strategy implemented by Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (RED I) and the Fit for 55 strategy uner the Green Deal implemented by Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (RED II).
Data until 2020 are calculated on the basis of RED I, while data for 2021 follow RED II. Due to the change of legal basis, a break in series occurs between 2020 and 2021. Readers are encouraged to analyse the differences between both Directives (RED I and RED II), the energy sector and all national specificities before drawing any conclusions from the comparison of year 2021 with previous time series. The SHARES Manual provides details on the methodology used for the calculation of the share of renewables.
Hydro is normalised (averaged over a number of years to smooth out the effects of climatic variation) and excluding pumping. Wind is also normalised (and from 2021 onwards as per RED II separately for on-shore and off-shore). Solar includes solar photovoltaics and solar thermal power generation. All other renewables include electricity generation from gaseous and liquid biofuels, renewable municipal waste, geothermal, and tide, wave & ocean. Only electricity produced from compliant liquid biofuels can be accounted. For 2021 onwards (as per RED II), also solid and gaseous biofuels combusted in installations above a certain threshold need to comply with sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria. Renewable energy sources used for heating and cooling include solar thermal, geothermal energy, ambient heat captured by heat pumps for heating (and from 2021 onwards, renewable cooling, as per RED II), solid, liquid and gaseous biofuels, and the renewable part of waste. Only heat produced from compliant liquid biofuels can be accounted for. From 2021 onwards (as per RED II), solid and gaseous biofuels combusted in installations above a certain threshold need to comply with sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria. RED II modifies the multipliers for the use of renewable electricity in different means of transport.
The calculation is based on data collected in the framework of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2008 on energy statistics and complemented by specific supplementary data transmitted by national administrations to Eurostat.
In some countries the statistical systems are not yet fully developed to meet all requirements of RED I or RED II, in particular with respect to ambient heat captured from the environment by heat pumps, renewable cooling or sustainability of solid and gaseous biofuels.
This is a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator. It has been chosen for the assessment of the progress towards the objectives and targets of the EU Sustainable Development Strategy. The data collection covers the full spectrum of the Member States of the European Union. Time series starts in the year 2004.
The share of energy from renewable sources is calculated for four indicators:
- Transport (RES-T)
- Heating and Cooling (RES-H&C)
- Electricity (RES-E)
- Overall RES share (RES)
More details are available in the SHARES tool manual. In addition, more information (like detailed calculations used to obtain the results) are available in the Excel and zip file in the SHARES section.
In particular, for RES-E it is possible to obtain results higher than 100%. This is due to the definition of the calculation, where the numerator ‘gross final consumption of electricity from renewable sources’ is defined as the gross electricity production from renewable sources. The denominator ‘gross final consumption of electricity’ is, for the purpose of the calculations in the SHARES tool, defined as gross electricity production from all energy sources plus total imports of electricity minus total exports of electricity. Therefore, if a country produces more electricity from renewable sources than total electricity it consumes, the RES-E ratio would be higher than 100% (e.g. Norway).
4.2. Unit of measure
The result indicator is expressed as the percentage. Basic data on energy quantities are in fuel specific units and for the purpose of calculation converted to common energy units (e.g. ktoe). Basic data are available in the SHARES section of the website.
4.3. Reference Period
These indicators refer to the calendar year.
4.4. Accuracy - overall
The accuracy of the basic data depends on the quality of the national statistical systems and may vary from country to country.
Medium
Data is submitted on the basis of a harmonised system, originating from data harmonised on international level (see for more details metadata on annual energy statistics). The accuracy of the basic data depends on the quality of the national statistical systems and may vary from country to country. In several countries and for most energy commodities data provision by the companies is required by law. However, emerging liberalisation process in some countries may to some extent negatively affect accuracy in some cases. From time to time detailed surveys targeted to single sub- items (e.g. Wood consumption in households) are carried out to improve the methodology.
In some countries statistical systems are not yet fully developed to monitor all energy from renewable sources. This concerns mostly ambient heat captured by heat pumps.
(See the description of Eurostat quality grades)
If in some specific cases the information transmitted in the SHARES questionnaire is not reliable, the unreliable(U) flag could be used. However, because most of the data used for shares come from annual data, the additional data is very limited. Only in cases where the U flag is extensively used in the publication of the underlying annual data, could the U flag be used as well in SHARES.
4.5. Source data
Data are obtained from the National Administrations competent for energy statistics. Depending on the reporting country and the specific monthly process, the data providers can be:
- National Statistical Institutes
- Ministries
- Energy Agencies
- Professional Associations
Questionnaires in standardized electronic format are collected from the national authorities via data transmission over the Internet. Data files have to be transmitted by the Member States to Eurostat via the Single Entry Point (SEP) following the implementing procedures of eDAMIS (electronic Data files Administration and Management Information System).
More information can be found in the national metadata files build on the basis of the national quality reports.
4.5.1. Source data - Organisation
National Administrations competent for energy statistics (National Statistical Institutes, Ministries, Energy Agencies and Professional Associations)
4.5.2. Source data - Comment
5.1. Frequency of dissemination
Data are disseminated on annual basis.
5.1.1. Frequency of dissemination - Grade
Every year5.1.2. Frequency of dissemination - Comment
5.2. Timeliness
No legally binding timeliness exists for this data transmission to Eurostat. Data available approximately 12 months after the reference year.
5.2.1. Timeliness - Grade
T+1 year5.2.2. Timeliness - Comment
6.1. Reference area
Annual data series cover all Member States of the European Union. The EU aggregate is also shown. Additionally and sometimes at a later stage, EFTA-countries (Iceland and Norway), some of the EU candidate and potential candidate countries (Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Turkey, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244/99), Ukraine and Moldova. Eventually, data for Georgia might also be shown. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, data prior to 2013 are estimated.
6.1.1. Reference Area - Grade
All EU MS6.1.2. Reference Area - Comment
6.2. Comparability - geographical
Most of the data for the calculation of SHARES are collected in the annual questionnaires (annual energy statistics). Energy domain provides highly comparable annual energy statistics. Eurostat verifies, to the extent possible, if the reported data respect the prescribed methodology. The underlying data collection methods are however the responsibility of the reporting countries. The methodology for reporting energy statistics is harmonised for all European countries (EU Member States, EFTA countries, EU Candidate Countries, Energy Community Contracting Parties) and also with the OECD energy statistics. In general, the energy statistics compiled by Eurostat is coherent with the International Recommendations for Energy Statistics adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission in 2011.
Fully comparable source data due to the use of the joint questionnaire. Eurostat verifies to the extent possible if the reported data respect the prescribed methodology. The underlying data collection methods are however under the responsibility of the Member States. The methodology is harmonized within the European Union. See also 13.1. Overall accuracy.
(See the description of Eurostat quality grades)
6.2.1. Comparability - geographical - Grade
All EU MS6.2.2. Comparability - geographical - Comment
6.3. Coverage - Time
Time series are starting from 2004.
Annex II of Directive 2009/28/EC (also included in Directive 2018/2001 -RED II-) requires a normalisation for hydro power on 15 year's time horizon. The source data however derived from Regulation (EC) 1099/2008 starts from 1990, thus it is not possible to calculate the share of energy from renewable sources prior to the year 2004.
6.3.1. Time Coverage - Grade
> 10 years6.3.2. Time Coverage - Comment
6.4. Comparability - over time
Comparability over time is ensured with a solid methodology harmonised that is stable over long periods and changes only with legal developments. Occasional breaks in time series are present due to the developments of statistical systems on national level and the level of detailed information (micro data) available at national level. In general comparability is very high in last 10 years and for older periods slowly decreasing. In addition, introduction of new statistical information in the most recent data collections can lead to breaks in series until information is compiled and provided by reporting countries. Comparability over time is ensured with a solid methodology agreed with all EU Member States. In case of methodological changes, historic time series are recalculated to the highest possible extend. Possible breaks in series resulting from the application of agreed methodology are explained in the SHARES tool manual in the SHARES section.
The latest data for SHARES 2005 shows a small variation with respect to data available during the preparation and adoption of the Directive in 2007-2008. Changes are due to revisions in data sets transmitted by reporting countries in response to annual energy questionnaires. Due to revision of data for biomass consumption in households, the updated data for Croatia indicates that its consumption of energy from renewable sources is above its 2020 target since 2004 (the first year for which values are available). But Croatia is not the only case. As a consequence of the Renewable Energy Directive, countries are monitoring much closer the flows of renewable energy commodities in their economies. A very significant case is the consumption of biomass, where countries are launching new more detailed surveys that allow them to capture more data on the final energy consumption of biomass. As a consequence, several countries are revising their data leading to an increase in their share of energy from renewable sources (e.g. Croatia, France, Lithuania and Hungary). These results in some cases in break in series. Eurostat asks countries to revise backwards as much as possible to avoid these breaks, but this is not always possible.
6.4.1. Comparability - over time - Grade
> 4 data points6.4.2. Comparability - over time - Comment
7.1. Dissemination format - Publications
Statistics explained article on Renewable energy statistics and news items available here.
7.2. Dissemination format - online database
Please consult free data on-line or refer to contact details.
http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/energy/database
7.3. Dissemination format - other
Internet address: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
Statistics Explained: Renewable energy statistics
Detailed results in the format of MS Excel files (SHARES tool detailed results in SHARES section)
Detailed methodology description for this indicators is available in the SHARES tool manual in the SHARES section of Eurostat's website.
