The State of Renewable Energies in Europe

In 2010 the overall EU-27 renewable energy share accounts for 12.4% of overall gross final energy consumption, as against 11.5% in 2009, which amounts to a 0.9-point year-on-year increase compared to 2009.

The 2009-2010 growth of the renewable energy share of overall gross final energy consumption is related to a bigger gross consumption of final energy from renewable sources: 145 Mtoe (against 131.6 Mtoe in 2009) for a gross final energy consumption of 1170.7 Mtoe (against 1146.3 Mtoe in 2009). From 2009 to 2010, gross consumption of final energy from renewable sources increased by 10.2% (+ 13.4 Mtoe), as against to a 2.1% increase (+ 24.4 Mtoe) of the overall gross final energy consumption. Contributions to the renewable energy growth can be found in the increase in final consumption of solid biomass for heating due to a long winter, but also the increase of renewable electricity technologies (hydropower, electricity from biomass, wind power and solar power (mainly photovoltaics)).

EurObserv’ER has calculated that the European Union already is ahead of the energy trajectory mapped out in the NREAPs (145 Mtoe compared to the 136.8 Mtoe projected for 2010 by all Member States together). EU members should produce an extra hundred Mtoe of final energy from renewable sources to achieve the 2020 target of 20% of renewable energies in the EU-27 final energy gross consumption (2009/28/CE directive). It equates to an extra annual average of 10 Mtoe of final energy from renewable sources.

Employment

The renewable energy sectors, taking all 27 European Union Member States together, have more than 1,114,000 people employed. This is a 25% increase on the 2009 figure (of 912,220). The top employer is solid biomass with more than 273,000 jobs, followed by photovoltaic and wind power with respectively 268,110 and 253,145 jobs estimated for 2010. Business in the photovoltaic sector surged in 2010, which led to a 50% increase in job numbers and in countries as such Germany, France and Italy job numbers expanded by 70% and more.

Turnover

The economic activity of the 27 European Union Member States for 2010 stemming from renewable energies is valued at more than 127 billion euro – a 15% improvement on the 2009 figure of 120 billion euros. Excellent performance by the photovoltaic sector, with sales of 45564 million euro in Europe’s markets, has taken it past wind power as the top earner. Photovoltaic is followed by the wind power and solid biomass sectors.

The following seven case studies have been analysed in ‘The State of Renewable Energies in Europe’ :
· Spain, Andalusia (page 182): concentrated solar power
· Germany, Lower Saxony (page 188): biogas
· Denmark, Bornholm (page 194): smart grids
· France, Champagne-Ardenne (page 202): biofuels
· Austria, Upper Austria (page 210): solar thermal
· Poland, Pomerania (page 216): wind energy
· Hungary, Miskolc region (page 222): RES community

http://www.eurobserv-er.org/pdf/barobilan11.pdf