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PARIS, France, June 21, 2006 (Refocus Weekly)
Growth of renewable energies in Europe has
stagnated over the past four years and the continent will not
achieve its targets by 2010, according to one forecast.
Renewables provided 5.6% of total energy in 2004, with a 2010
objective of 12%, concludes the annual ‘European Barometer of
Renewable Energies’ produced by EurObserv’ER. The share was was 5.6%
in 2001, 5.1% in 2002 and 5.5% in 2003 and “it is thus obvious that
the European Union will not attain its objective of 12% at this
rate.”
The European Commission recently told the Council and Parliament
that it now anticipates a total of 9% by 2010. Only five countries
(Latvia, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Portugal) have reached the 12%
mark in their national energy mix while, among the 20 other
countries, 14 are below the 5% threshold, of which seven are under
2%.
The average share of renewables in the ten new countries that joined
the EU in 2004 amounts to 4.9%, compared with an average share of
5.7% among the 15 countries of the old EU. The primary energy from
renewables was static between 2003 and 2004, and the arrival of ten
new countries “did not change the fact that biomass is by far the
leading renewable energy source used in the EU.”
In terms of green power, Europe generated 14.2% of its electricity
from renewables in 2004, a regression of 0.67 points compared with
2003. “Overall, the trend to be retained on this ratio's evolution
is one of stagnation because, in 1997, the share amounted to 13.9%.”
“The European objective of 21% in 2010 for all of the member
countries has thus grown a little more remote,” and the EC now is
aiming for 18% instead of 21%. Only four countries (Latvia,
Slovenia, Finland, Denmark) are near their objectives for 2010, and
Latvia has exceeded its target by reaching 50.7%, although the
report notes that such levels “can quickly evolve especially when
they are based to a great extent on hydraulic production whose
producible volume is influenced by variations of climatic conditions
(drought or high amounts of rainfall).”
Integration of the ten new countries “has not caused any significant
evolution in the distribution observed in 2003 in terms of
participation of the different renewable energy sectors,” and hydro
remains the principal source of renewables “but the growth in wind
power should also be noted.” It is “indispensable” to distinguish
between installed capacity from energy production which is affected
by climatic uncertainties, and the “success of the objectives will
be effectively judged in terms of production levels that are reached
(in MWh), but the best possible monitoring of efforts is made using
production capacities (in MW).”
Installed capacity for each renewable energy has grown over the
years, and the various green technologies “have gained ground in
terms of absolute figures even if the indicators of relative shares
do show a certain stagnation.”
The Barometer “confirms that the European Union as a whole has not
yet been able to adopt all the policies needed to achieve the
ambitious but realistic objective of renewable energies contributing
12% of primary energy consumption” and, despite some “spectacular
progress made in terms of absolute value in certain sectors like
wind power, the absence of consumption management has resulted in
stagnation in terms of the relative share of renewable energies.”
Eurobserv’ER has collected data on renewables in Europe for seven
years, and the annual assessment complements the thematic barometers
produced for different technologies.
The Barometer is prepared by Observ’ER in the scope of the
EurObserv’ER project which groups Observ’ER, Eurec Agency, Erec,
Eufores, Institut Jozef Stefan and Systèmes Solaires, with the
participation of EC BREC and with the financial support of Ademe and
DG Tren.
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