Malta with lowest renewable energy share in EU

 Malta remains anchored at the bottom of the EU's league of member states in the generation and use of renewable energy.

Eurostat statistics published this morning show that in 2011, energy from renewable sources was estimated to have contributed 0.4% of gross final energy consumption in Malta, placing it at the bottom of the list.

Malta is committed to generate 10% of its energy from renewable sources.

A holistic policy framework on renewable energy is expected to be launched by the end of summer by energy minister Konrad Mizzi.

In 2011, energy from renewable sources was estimated to have contributed 13% of gross final energy consumption in the EU27, compared with 7.9% in 2004 and 12.1% in 2010.

The share of renewables in gross final energy consumption is one of the headline indicators of the Europe 2020 strategy.

The target for the EU27 to be reached by 2020 is a share of 20% renewable energy use in gross final energy consumption.

The national targets take into account the Member States' different starting points, renewable energy potential and economic performance.

Between 2010 and 2011, almost all Member States increased their share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption.

The highest shares of renewable energy in final energy consumption in 2011 were found in Sweden (46.8% of renewable energy sources in total consumption), Latvia (33.1%), Finland (31.8%) and Austria (30.9%), and the lowest in Malta (0.4%), Luxembourg (2.9%), the United Kingdom (3.8%), Belgium (4.1%) and the Netherlands (4.3%).

In 2011, Estonia was the first Member State to exceed its Europe 2020 target.

These figures  were published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, and highlight the development of renewable energy sources in energy consumption in the EU27 and the Member States.

Since 2004, the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption grew in all Member States.

The largest increases during this period were recorded in Sweden (from 38.3% in 2004 to 46.8% in 2011), Denmark (from 14.9% to 23.1%), Austria (from 22.8% to 30.9%), Germany (from 4.8% to 12.3%) and Estonia (from 18.4% to 25.9%).

Croatia, joining the EU later this year generated 15.7% of its energy from renewables while Norway surpassed all EU27 member states, achieving a 67.4% share.