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The report, which assesses progress on the use of renewables, found that clean energy technologies are an important driving force in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and in creating employment in Europe.
Renewable energy in Europe 2016: recent growth and knock-on effects shows that clean and renewable energy sources are being widely embraced.
The EU-wide share of renewable energy has increased from 14.3% in 2012 to 15% in 2013. Based on preliminary data for 2014, the EEA had estimated further growth in the share of renewable energy at 15.2%. This upward trend was recently confirmed by Eurostat (16%) showing growth which was even stronger than anticipated.
The additional consumption of renewable energy, compared to the level of consumption in 2005, has allowed the EU to cut its demand for fossil fuels by 110 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2013. This is equivalent to a gross reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of 362 million tonnes in 2013.
The data shows that renewable energy sources are playing a key part in Europe’s energy transition and are complementing climate change mitigation policies while improving Europe’s overall energy security.
Europe is playing a leading role in developing clean energy sources. Throughout 2005-2014, Europe had the highest shares of global new investments in renewable energy technologies, being surpassed by China only in 2013. The EU is also one of the key players with regard to employment in the renewable energy sector.
As renewables growth is picking up also in other parts of the world, the EU needs to sustain and increase its efforts to support and develop renewable energy sources in order to maintain its competitive advantage. However, certain forms of renewable energy can impact health and the environment such as traditional use of biomass or large infrastructure projects such as hydroelectricity.